"Demand for the services and food that FareShare supplies is at unprecedented levels, higher than we have ever seen before. We have hundreds of organisations on the waiting list to join our service, but the reality is the food just isn't there."

"I really see the benefit of FareShare’s help across communities and it makes me proud to be a volunteer."

In honour of Volunteers' Week (1st to 7th June), at FareShare Midlands we want to celebrate our volunteers’ incredible impact on our mission to maximise the social value of surplus food. Their hard work and dedication not only make a tangible difference in our community, but also inspire others to join us to fight hunger, tackle waste and create opportunities.

We are aware of the immense pressures on the local charities and community organisations that we support. We understand that many of you are facing particularly challenging times, when the number of people coming to you for help is rising. We know that many of you are concerned about the current food situation and, while we can’t see into the future, we can keep you as informed as possible and reassure you that FareShare Midlands and FareShare UK are doing all that we can to navigate this crisis.

Our volunteer warehouse assistants provide priceless support with helping to sort and store food in our warehouses.

Follow the journey of surplus food from one of FareShare's food partners, Gousto, through FareShare Midlands Regional Centre and then out to some of the charities and community groups who get it to people in need.

Our drivers are the vital link between us and our charity members. As a driver you will drop off the weekly orders of food at local charities and collect surplus from food businesses with the help of a driver's assistant.

Last year FareShare Midlands redistributed almost 6,000 tonnes of good-to-eat surplus food – that’s the equivalent of approximately 1,000 elephants! Clearly, not all of this is simply what you might find in the “reduced to clear” area in your local supermarket. Surplus food is, put simply, food that is surplus to requirement – and can be found at any stage of the food production chain, including: farms and growers, production and manufacturers, supermarkets and grocery stores, and hospitality and event providers.

Simone Connolly recently spoke to Feron Jayawardene from Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce about her journey from volunteer to Chief Executive, and the difficulties facing the charity