A BASINGSTOKE charity that saves food from going to landfill and has delivered more than 150,000 meals to those in need in the community is under threat of closure.

Community Food Link (CFL) launched two years ago during lockdown, with volunteers collecting fresh food from supermarkets in the town that cannot be sold and would normally go to landfill.

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Volunteers then sort and repack the food to deliver to charities and churches in Basingstoke to distribute to those in need.

The charity is now in desperate need of a new premises because the church where it runs needs the space back.

CFL is based at the URC church in London Street, where volunteers sort and pack the donated food.

However, as URC restarts activities post Covid it now needs the space and it has asked CFL to vacate as soon as possible.

The charity is currently making more than 50 collections a week from supermarkets in the town and estimates it has provided more than 150,000 meals to families in need during the last two years.

It has around 40 volunteers working an average of 180 hours a week to help the local community.

Jonathan Pain, who volunteers for the charity, said it needs a 1,000 square foot space with easy vehicular access and space for vehicle parking.

He said: “We generally get a really full van load which is taken to two or three churches. We’re finding that we advertise there’s food available at 10am and people queue up from 8am.

“We know there is a need for this and we are determined for it to continue.

“We collect in the evening and give it out the next day, storing it in eight or nine big freezers. If it has today’s date you have to freeze it and then hand it over.

“If we don’t have a premises, we would have to collect then go to two or three different drop-offs and they would need freezers to store it, so the logistics would be much more difficult.”

He said the charity has expanded since starting during lockdown, adding: “The supermarkets are pleased we collect food from them and it doesn’t go to waste. But realistically if we can’t find a new premises we might have to wind down.”

If you can help CFL in its search for a new premises email contact@bcfd.org.uk.

CFL is part of the Starfish Enterprise Trust charity and run by a small team of people from churches around Basingstoke.

To find out more about the project or to make a donation visit bcfd.org.uk.

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