Bill Esterson MP backs Fareshare #FoodOnPlates campaign

Bill Esterson MP is backing a campaign from a food charity to put food on plates instead of it going to waste.

Sefton Central MP Mr Esterson said the charity Fareshare do “a fantastic job” and he fully supported their #Foodonplates campaign pressing the government to reinstate “lifeline” funding to deliver millions of meals.

During the pandemic, government funding covered the costs of getting farm food to charities that would have otherwise been wasted. This meant almost twice as much food, most of it fruit and veg, reached those in need, and an additional 10.5 million meals’ worth of food were delivered to charities and community groups.

Mr Esterson said: “My wife and daughter have both volunteered with Fareshare so we have seen first hand the fantastic job they do and the difference they make. I have no hesitation in backing this campaign because food should be eaten, not wasted.

“I’m told that more than 2 million tonnes of edible food is wasted on farms and in factories every year. Meanwhile, 8 million people in the UK struggle to get enough to eat.

“Shockingly it's cheaper for farmers to throw edible food into biogas digesters or send it to landfill than get it to charities putting meals on people's plates. That can’t be right. The government must continue to provide this funding.

“At Prime Minister’s Questions this week, the PM said food banks are doing a good job. As ever he completely missed the point. If he did his job we wouldn’t need food banks.

"Food banks are as important as ever, largely because of 11 years of Conservative cuts and falling living standards for working families as well as for families where no one is working. The government should be raising living standards so foodbanks aren't needed. In the meantime, the government should be doing everything it can and helping organisations like Fareshare to ensure good food goes to where it belongs – on plates not in landfill.”

PIC: Bill Esterson MP with volunteers at the Horse & Jockey pub in Melling, who organise food parcels for the local community