Fareshare

I was delighted to hear the news that FareShare, the charity supported by my Lent appeal, has won a prestigious award by becoming ‘Britain’s most admired charity 2010’.  I’d like to use this as an opportunity to ask you to remind your churches that FareShare, staffed in Leicester by volunteers, has operating costs with which we can all help.
The Diocese of Leicester was instrumental in setting up FareShare Leicester for the poor and hungry people in Leicester and Leicestershire.  Leicester is the only ‘Van Franchise’ in the whole FareShare operation and uses volunteer staff and free premises, at present operating one day a week from the St Paul’s Worship Centre.  A van is hired each week to collect food from a depot in either Bristol or Birmingham, and returns with food which is delivered for distribution to around twenty local charities.  FareShare Leicester is run by the diocese and redistributes surplus foods from supermarkets that would otherwise end up in landfill to those who are destitute or living in poverty.  Last year the project gave out almost 50 tonnes of food which has helped to provide 120,000 meals for the most vulnerable last year.
The TV programme ‘The Secret Millionaire’ came to Leicester recently, and Jahan Abedi a property tycoon born in Iran and now living in Cardiff gave away thousands of pounds to different projects in Leicester, including CASP the Northfields project, which is one of the organizations served by FareShare Leicester which received funds to buy a new mini bus for the community.
For FareShare to run in Leicester funds are constantly needed and it is to this which I hope you will feel able to give.  For example, the cost of a day’s van hire and fuel, to collect the food to service the twenty charities, is at present approximately £120, which will rise with fuel prices.
As we approach Easter, I would like to ask you to think how as a church or as individuals you may be able to help FareShare.
Thank you.
In His name.

Tim

The Appeal leaflet may be downloaded here lentappeal2010
or further copies are available from Church House 0116 248 7424

The Diocese of Leicester’s food redistribution project “FareShare Leicester”, which operates one day a week from St Paul’s Worship Centre, Kirby Road was featured in the Channel 4 ‘Secret Millionaire’ programme on Monday night.

Jahan Abedi gave support to FareShare Community Food Member ‘CASP’ – Northfields Advice Centre, The Fresh Start Project, a joint Refugee Action and Diocese of Leicester initiative, and LOROS.

Leicester is seen to be a caring, compassionate and supportive city something that we should be proud of.

The programme is still available on the Channel 4 website

Tonight (Monday 15th March) Secret Millionaire featuring Property Tycoon  Jahan Abedi is based in Leicester and is well worth a watch as it features FareShare Leicester and also a new project helping Asylum Seekers called Fresh Start.

Refugee Action deputy manager Aidan Hallett said: “We were surprised but extremely grateful when we realised Jahan was a millionaire and wanted to help people who were in this vulnerable state.

“The Fresh Start Project aims to help those who have fallen through the net and make sure they are reintegrated into the asylum system.

“The project will employ a support worker and recruit specialist volunteers to help the residents work through their cases and find a sustainable resolution, whether that is obtaining some form of status, or returning to their countries voluntarily.

“Thanks to The Secret Millionaire, this issue will get the attention and the support it deserves.”

Bishop Tim's Lent Appeal 2010

 A reminder that this year’s Lent appeal is to all churches in our Leicester diocese to help support FareShare Leicester.
For more information about this appeal contact John Willetts, Project Director, on 07867 527 063.
The Appeal leaflet may be Downloaded here

FareShare Leicester seeks maternity leave cover for Project Co-ordninator (12 hrs per week) from 1st March. Good organisational and I.T skills required. Based at Church House for 2 days per week with attendance at the weekly food distribution at King Richard’s Road on Mondays, with the other day being negotiable. This post is offered on a self-employed basis (£ 12.00 per hour).

FareShare Leicester is the local franchise of FareShare, the national food charity working to relieve food poverty by taking quality surplus food from the food industry for redistribution to those in need.

For an application form and more information please contact Simone Connolly on 0787 864 5219.

Dear Friends and Supporters of FareShare Leicester 

We are pleased to send you a copy of the e-version of the Annual Report reflecting our first year of operation as a FareShare van franchise. It has kindly been designed and produced by North Warwickshire & Hinckley College as part of their support. 

FareShare Leicester Annual Report pdf

The report is available in hard copy, just get in touch if you would like some copies. 

Thank you for your support. We plan that 2010 will be bigger and better for FareShare Leicester and those we support. 

Season’s greetings! 

John                                                                          Simone 

John Willetts                                                               Simone Connolly
Project Director                                                         Project Coordinator
FareShare Leicester                                                 FareShare Leicester
07867 527 063 (Mob)                                            07878 645 219 (Mob)

Are you free on a Monday afternoon?  Do you want to work with some lovely people doing some really practical but very worthwhile and needed work?  If the answer is ‘yes’ then your local FareShare needs you!

FareShare Leicester is the local franchise of FareShare, the national food charity working to relieve food poverty by taking quality surplus food from the food industry for redistribution to those in need. We need volunteers to help with distirbution of food on a Monday afternoon from 1.30 until 4.00pm at St Paul’s Worship Centre, Kirby Road, Leicester.  We are looking for someone who is able to help with loading, unloading and is able to hand write distribution notes.  You will get the opportunity to work with a great bunch of volunteers as well as meeting the representatives of the many groups and charities that FareShare support.  If you would like to apply then please contact Simone Connolly by email at simone.connolly@leccofe.org or by phone on 0787 864 5219.

FareShare Leicester are this year’s recipient charity of Leicestershire Cares www.leicestershirecares.co.uk Collect4Christmas Appeal.   Barnardos, who were the 2008 recipient charity, received a donation of £ 8,000, in addition to 100s of gifts, and so FareShare and the department of Social Responsibility feel extremely privileged to have been selected as this year’s recipient charity. 
 
In an attempt to generate further donations, part of the Collect4Christmas appeal involves getting a group of people together to sing Christmas carols at the John Lewis department store in the Highcross – depending on how bad the singing is we may also generate a few rotten eggs!!!  All of us in SR feel it is really important that we support Leicestershire Cares in this event and so have all signed up to sing at John Lewis’ next Friday, 27th November at 2pm until 3pm.  It would be good if anyone else could spare an hour to join us and to show that the Diocese are really supporting their appeal.  If you think you can sing – or not(!) and would like to come along then email me to let me know and I will advise where we plan on meeting.
 
Come on – get in the Christmas spirit nice and early this year.

:  up to 8 hours per month

FareShare Leicester helps to feed about 2,000 of the most seriously disadvantaged people in Leicestershire, using surplus food from the food industry. It is a franchise of the national charity FareShare, which takes good quality surplus food from the food industry that is used for those in need, rather than being sent to landfill. All food is within its use-by date and complies with strict hygiene legislation.

 FareShare Leicester requires a Volunteer to help with administration work.  We are looking for someone who is computer-literate, able to use Word and Excel competently.  The work is generally data collation and input but may also involve other general admin duties. 

Ideally, we would like somebody who could commit to 6 – 8 hours per month, which would be entirely flexible to suit.
The work could also be done from home. 

If you are interested in this volunteering role, then please phone Simone Connolly, Project Coordinator on 0787 864 5219.

John Willetts – Project Director

FareShare Leicester

07867 527 063 (Mob)

Email:   John Willetts – js.willetts@btinternet.com