Local charity benefits from food donations

The food donation scheme is aimed at charities and organisation that could benefit from receiving surplus fresh food products that would otherwise go to waste.

The types of items which Sainsbury’s Carrickfergus will be donating to the Bridewell Drive centre include fruit and vegetables, bread, milk and other foods which charities that look after people may have to purchase on a daily basis.

The Open Door Centre, based in the heart of the Sunnylands community, serves low cost meals and staff are there to offer support wherever needed in the lives of those they come across.

James Clarke from the Open Door Centre will be presented with a trolley load of food on Monday September 2 by Sainsbury’s Carrickfergus Store Manager Bea Cox.

Bea said: “We hate wasting food and really believe that old saying ‘waste not; want not’.

“We are really happy that local charities within our community can benefit from our food donations scheme.”

Nationally, Sainsbury’s works with the organisation FareShare, who distribute surplus food to local charities and projects. The retailer has been working with FareShare since 1994.

“There are hundreds of hungry mouths to feed in your local community and by donating food to charities and organisations, we are saving thousands of tonnes of food needlessly going to landfill,” said Andy White, Community Affairs manager for Sainsbury’s.

Colleagues at Sainsbury’s Carrickfergus chose the centre’s Café Rose to be their new food donation partner in July 2013. The charity will now benefit from regular donations of surplus food from the store.

James Clarke from the Open Door Centre said: “We’re delighted to be receiving this kind donation from colleagues at Sainsbury’s Carrickfergus who have helped to raise awareness of our cause.

“These items really will benefit local people suffering from food poverty. We’re now looking forward to working with the store during the rest of 2013.”