‘Incredible’ donation saves Blackpool Big Food Project meals financial institution | EUROtoday

An emergency meals charity that was below menace of closure has been saved after an “incredibly generous donation”, its boss has mentioned.

The Big Food Project redistributes surplus meals from supermarkets and producers to 125 meals banks, faculties, group kitchens, disaster companies and households throughout Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre.

It sends out sufficient meals for about 900,000 meals a yr, its founder Neil Reid has mentioned, however wanted “people to volunteer food and cold, hard cash” for it to maintain going.

Now a partnership with energy community operator SP Electricity North West will see emergency funding present about 36,000 meals.

The new partnership will run all through 2026.

SP Electricity North West’s chief working officer Stephanie Trubshaw mentioned the meals financial institution was “a lifeline to families”.

“We’ve got various partnerships to support residents in our area with energy-saving advice and when we learnt that The Big Food Project was facing potential closure, we wanted to step in and provide support.

“Our groups will work intently with the meals financial institution whereas additionally selling the opposite companies we offer which can be of profit.”

The Big Food Project’s chief executive officer Claire Powell said: “This extremely beneficiant donation means we are able to hold our doorways open and supply hundreds of meals throughout the Fylde coast over Christmas and into 2026.”

The Big Food Project, which has about 150 volunteers, was set up in 2012 and initially started as Blackpool Food Bank.

The non-profit organisation distributes about 50 tonnes of meals a month to meals banks.