Leading potato supplier Albert Bartlett, which has supplied the equivalent of over11m meals to FareShare during its 14-year relationship with the UK’s biggest charity tackling food waste for social good, had a special festive surprise in its potato bags.
Five charities found golden tickets worth £100. These tickets will be used by the charities to buy essentials that they need to support their communities.
Lucky Golden Ticket winners included:
- Laurence’s Larder and Open Kitchen, Northwest London
- The Food Chain, North London
- Kellands School, Aberdeenshire
- Dundee Survival Group, Dundee
- Faifley Community Council, Glasgow
The tickets were found within the 62 tonnes of surplus potatoes, which were redistributed throughout the UK by FareShare to 632 worthy charities in time for Christmas. This provided the equivalent 148,000 meals and saved 124 tonnes of C02 from being wasted.
Brand and Marketing Director at Albert Bartlett, John Hicks, said: “We have a strong relationship with FareShare and we’re dedicated to helping deliver its mission of tackling food waste and hunger. We really wanted to give even more back with our festive potato donation to give charities a little something extra. We’re delighted the golden tickets have been claimed and are being put to good use.”
The winners of the Golden Tickets shared how their vouchers are going to be used:
Depute Head Teacher at Kellands School, Alan Souter: “We are delighted to have found a Golden Ticket courtesy of Albert Bartlett. At Kellands School we live to give so it is with pleasure that we will cash this ticket in and put the voucher to good use in supporting our kiddies and families. With thanks to Albert Bartlett and FareShare for their generosity.”
Co-Ordinator at Laurence’s Larder and Open Kitchen, Sara-Jade Hussein: “Albert Bartlett potatoes are always a welcome addition in our deliveries – we use them to make mash, cottage pies and add them to curries for our community lunch, we also give them out at the food bank. We were absolutely delighted to see a Golden Ticket nestled in our delivery before Christmas! As the number of guests who use our services continues to climb, we’re reliant on FareShare and companies like Albert Bartlett to help people, so to receive a Golden Ticket is even more amazing as we try to support as many people as possible.”
CEO at Dundee Survival Group, Mr Shirish Patel: “Dundee Survival Group welcomes this donation. It will help us to improve the quality of accommodation we provide and help service users in practical ways. We hope to buy household goods needed and chosen by service users with the aim of improving their health and wellbeing.”
Kitchen Services Manager at The Food Chain, Peter Blowers: “Having this voucher helps us provide even more services to our service users besides our regular food services, thank you.”
To say thank you to the devoted FareShare volunteers who help package, cook and serve for the charity, Albert Bartlett’s brand development Chef Graham Wilson will be cooking a potato inspired lunch for them to enjoy.
Director of food at FareShare, Simon Millard: “We are enormously grateful to Albert Bartlett for their ongoing support for FareShare. Their surplus potatoes will be redistributed across our nationwide network of 8,500 charities and community groups and will make a valuable contribution to getting good food to people in need, rather than letting it go to waste. Our network includes school groups, lunch clubs for older people, domestic abuse refuges, homelessness centres, and community centres, that bring local people together. Regular supplies of potatoes enable these groups to create hearty, nourishing meals for the people they support, alongside other support services. The ‘golden tickets’ provided by Albert Bartlett will provide an additional boost to charities who are facing greater demand than ever for their services.”
