Statistics
Homelessness and malnutrition
The latest Census data shows that the total number of rough sleepers in Brighton and Hove is the highest in the UK outside London (1). Additional statistics on homelessness from charities such as
Crisis and Shelter consistently rank Brighton and Hove high on the list.
Although Brighton and Hove is situated in the South-East, it suffers from pockets of deprivation with 12 out of 26 wards among the 25% most deprived in England and Wales (2). Brighton and Hove also has an exponentially high rate of drug use and drug-related deaths, consistently ranking the highest in the UK at a rate double that of the second highest (3).
According to Shelter, "a shocking 70% of long-term homeless people show medical symptoms of malnutrition. Three out of five homeless people have no daily intake of fruit or vegetables. The consequences of poor nourishment are both physical and psychological." (4)
There is also much evidence to suggest that poor nutrition is much more likely to affect those who are poor or vulnerable. Often this is due to poor education or a lack of material resources.
In 2002 City Gate Community Projects carried out a feasibility study for the creation of a FareShare project in Brighton and identified 11 services providing hot meals to homeless and vulnerable people. Today, FareShare Brighton and Hove delivers to over 40 organisations, who cater for over 3000 people a week, demonstrating the increasing need for our service in the area.
Food waste in the UK
According to WRAP, the independent advisory body on waste, the food industry in the UK throws away 6.5 million tonnes of food a year, worth £5 billion (5). Much of this is good quality, edible food, needlessly wasted.
This food is most often sent to landfill sites, where it is left to generate hundreds of tonnes of harmful gasses. One tonne of biodegradable waste produces 150-200 cubic metres of gas (6). Of this, 64% is methane and 34% carbon dioxide, with methane having a global warming potential 31 times greater than carbon dioxide (7).
All of the food that FareShare Brighton and Hove receives from the local food industry is within date, great quality and is nutritious. This food comes to us for a variety of reasons, which includes damaged packaging, over ordered stock, or is past its sell by date.
Focus on FareShare
In 2010 Brighton and Hove FareShare saved over 300 tons of food from going to landfill sites; food which would have cost over £800,000. We are extremely effective and cost efficient, every £1 donated to enables us to distribute £7’s worth of food.
The food we deliver contributes to over 3,000 meals every week for homeless and vulnerable people in Brighton and Hove.
References
1. http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/statistics/roughsleepingcount2010
2. http://www.bhfood.org.uk/pdfs/Brighton-HoveFoodShed.pdf
3. http://www.sgul.ac.uk/media/latest-news/drug-related-deaths-in-the-uk-continue-to-rise/?searchterm=brighton%20drugs
4. http://scotland.shelter.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/23157/samual5Fcumpsty.pdf
5. http://www.wrap.org.uk/retail_supply_chain/grocery/the_grocery_secto.html
6. Waste Management Paper No 27, DoE, 1991
7. http://www.chemsoc.org/ExemplarChem/entries/2004/plymouth_Whittleton/lfg.html
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