Background:
Only a small amount of the UK's edible food waste gets used to feed people and tonnes of edible food goes to waste each month. We aim to change this, particularly as increasing numbers of people need food support through the cost-of-living crisis.
Manchester's food charities need good quality food to provide nutritious meals to those in need, but each charity's needs differ and so do their specialisms. We created the Our Manchester Food Partnership (OMFP) as a partnership of social food providers (made up of affordable food schemes, food banks and community grocers) who are working together to simplify and improve the support available for residents in need across the city. Giving access to affordable food is a critical part of supporting people in need but we also recognise that social food providers can offer more than just food. Offering connections to people in need, and introducing them to a variety of support organisations, helps them to find long-term routes out of poverty, food insecurity and social isolation.
OMFP will provide training and work collaboratively with a network of social food providers, who will share advice, knowledge and ideas. Local and national charities and support services working with the Council will be asked to present to the OMFP group on the services they provide and how contact should be made.
OMFP aims to embrace city-wide approaches to make a difference for the people of Manchester by signposting their local members and communities to the help they need.
How you can help:
- If you're a local business that could help but don’t know how, please email us at omfp@manchester.gov.uk to let us know what sort of surplus food you might be able to donate.
- If your business wants to re-evaluate your waste policies and start to make a social, economic and environment impact, get in touch by emailing omfp@manchester.gov.uk.
What OMFP asks of its members:
Members of the partnership are guided by the following food provider principles:
- Food Providers will facilitate and encourage access to support providing routes out of poverty and increased social inclusion
- Food Providers should build on resident strengths and actively engage with the communities they serve, working with neighbourhood partners and embracing city-wide approaches for improving outcomes.
- Food Providers will collaborate and actively share food and intelligence
- Food Providers will always look to use edible surpluses first, prioritising nutritional needs
- Food Providers should always work safely and be registered food organisations that can provide product recalls where necessary
OMFP in action
The OMFP working group is established to help raise awareness of the partnership and promote and share good practice across food providers serving Manchester residents. The work of the group aligns with the work of the Manchester Food Board and reports into the Making Manchester Fairer Anti-Poverty Strategy.