Have You Discovered Surplus to Supper?

The current crisis has left many in food poverty. But it has not stopped the tide of excess food wasted every day by supermarkets and retailers.

Surplus to Supper is a charity which is bridging the gap between food waste and food poverty. The inimitable and dynamic Claire Hopkins is Operations Director of Surplus to Supper. Over 4 years, during her tenure as the foodbank manager at the community foodbank at St Saviour’s church, she has won over the trust and support of local supermarkets who now donate much of their surplus food and other goods to her care and redistribution. She and a party of volunteers (including her parents. How could they say no to her?!) collect the goods, up to 10 tons a week, and redistribute to 22 local food banks, charities and schools. Surplus to Supper is not restricted to a county or a borough. They support needs from Spelthorne to Richmond and Hampton to Hounslow and their reach is set to grow. Unlike other food distribution networks, Surplus to Supper does not charge anything for redistribution. That is key! It takes the food directly to where it is needed.

The Sunbury Cricket Club, recently refurbished, with a new and sleek looking café area, have teamed up with Surplus to Supper, offering lunches, coffee and cakes etc, using surplus. They operate a buy one/give one scheme. So for every coffee and cake you buy, the equivalent will be donated to someone who needs it.

The cricket club is also the venue for the surplus shop. Some of you may have seen posts on Facebook (Surplus to Supper). Every weekend you have the chance to pick up some surplus food in exchange for a donation. We should stress that this is not a food bank. If you need a food bank then please go through the official channels to get the help you need. This aspect of the operation aims to stop food waste. Did you know that one third of all food produced is lost or wasted. That is 1.3 billion tons of food. If one quarter of that could be saved it would be enough to feed 870 million hungry people. We can’t change the world but locally we can make a difference and that is what Surplus to Supper is doing brilliantly.

Opening hours of the Surplus shop are 12-4 on a Saturday and 10-2 on Sundays.

Social distancing is observed. You need to bring your own bags, queue and select, then make a sensible donation. All money raised goes back to the charity which is supporting so many local people.