The Coalfields Food Insecurity Response Fund is a new fund to tackle food poverty. We have seen a significant rise over recent years in the coalfields of the number of projects providing food to those who cannot afford it. The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated this problem with more people being referred to food banks, and tens of thousands of children skipping meals due to family income being too low.
The Coalfields Regeneration Trust, the only organisation dedicated to supporting the UK’s former coal mining communities, has joined forces with Company Shop to award fast track funds to projects responding to these growing challenges. Company Shop is the UK’s largest commercial redistributor of food and household products, and sells surplus food and household items from well-known retailers and brands at hugely discounted prices.
Projects can apply for up to £2,500 and if successful, will be granted a Company Shop membership to maximise their purchasing power. The discounts offered means for every £10 spent, a project will typically get £30 in goods (if they purchased these goods directly from the retailer). So for a £2,500 award a project could receive goods up to the value of £7,500.
In addition to the Trust’s £50,000 commitment to the fund, Company Shop will value match any applications that deliver food provision for families and children. If your project supports these groups and is awarded £2,500 by us, Company Shop will commit an additional £2,500 to give you a project value of £5,000. This generous offer will help us to create a fund value of up to £100,000.
The locations of Company Shop stores in England are as follows:
- Wentworth (Barnsley)
- Middleton (Greater Manchester)
- St Helens (North West)
- Washington (Tyne and Wear)
- Longeaton (Derbyshire)
- Corby (Northamptonshire)
- Grimsby (North East Lincolnshire)
We anticipate a high demand for this funding. To ensure your best chance of success please make sure you read through all of the information before applying. Priority will be given to organisations that are supporting the most vulnerable.
In order to be eligible to apply you need to be a not for personal profit voluntary and community organisation, such as:
- Company limited by guarantee
- Registered charity
- Community interest company
- Charitable incorporated organisation
- Community benefited society
- Unregistered group with formal rules
Grants are awarded to projects in the top 30% most deprived former coalfield areas:
Guidance on which wards are eligible for funding is downloadable below.
Examples of the type of services we would like to support are as follows (please note this list is not exhaustive):
• Food banks
• Food parcels schemes
• Meal delivery services (such as lunch packs and meals)
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