On the 29th January, Plan Zheroes launches its new website with a new platform, forging stronger links between food businesses, charities, local community groups and volunteers across the UK.
In the UK, 13 million people are living in poverty whilst 650,000 tonnes of perfectly good food is thrown away by food businesses. Plan Zheroes – a UK registered charity launched in 2012 – seeks to inspire food businesses to give their surplus food to those who need it so it will never go to waste.
Connecting food businesses and charities
Launching on Thursday 29 January 2015 at London’s City Hall, Plan Zheroes’ new website will act as a social network where relationships are built between food businesses and charities, communication is quick and simple, and food reaches those in need, safely and conveniently.
The event will be hosted by Plan Zheroes in line with the Mayor of London’s FoodSave programme, which provides free support to small and medium sized London food businesses to help them tackle food waste and divert their food surplus to good use. Businesses will be able to sign up to the programme at this event.
Food writer, campaigner and columnist, Jack Monroe will talk to guests about the real and pressing need to tackle food poverty in the UK, and how organisations can help. Guests at the event will be served delicious dishes from The Dinner Exchange East, all of which will be created from surplus food.
Thanks to the launch of this new website, when an organisation has surplus food to donate, they can now sign into a secure site, upload their information, and nearby charities will instantly receive a notification of the available food. Charities can then claim the food online, and a network of local volunteers and transporters is at hand to help transport the food where required.
Working with 400 businesses, 375 charities – and feeding thousands
Lotti Henley, Co-founder of Plan Zheroes said: “We launched Plan Zheroes to help fight food poverty and the devastating effect it is having on people in the UK. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved in the three years since we’ve launched; we now work with over 400 businesses and a network of about 375 charities, feeding thousands of people daily that might have otherwise gone without a meal.
“The launch of our new website is the important next step on our journey. It allows better connections between local networks of businesses, charities, volunteers and transporters, making the process simpler, quicker and more intuitive. With this new tool we hope to expand the network to support more people in need of food; I’m really excited about what the future holds.”
Working with food businesses of all kinds
Plan Zheroes currently works with a wide range of food businesses – including restaurants, catering companies, cafes, food shops, schools, supermarkets, hotels and food markets – all of which can now register on the Plan Zheroes website and forge links with charities and local community groups.
Plan Zheroes partners include Borough Market, Paul UK, Le Pain Quotidien, Gail’s Artisan Bakery, the Langham Hotel, catering company Squid & Pear and Budgens. Charity partners include Red Cross UK, Look Ahead Care and Support, the Marylebone Project, New Horizon Youth Centre and The Abbey Community Association and Centre.
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