From one van to 10 million meals: UKHarvest celebrates a community-powered milestone

What began with one person and a van has grown into a community effort with an extraordinary result: UKHarvest has rescued enough surplus food for the equivalent of 10 million meals. The charity is celebrating the achievement by thanking everyone who made it possible, and inviting local residents, businesses and food producers to help write its next chapter. 

The milestone was reached on Friday 16 October, World Food Day, when the charity received the food that took its total to 10 million meals’ worth.  

Each week, UKHarvest collects around 10 tonnes of surplus food from farms, growers, producers and distributors, turning food that could otherwise go to waste into ingredients and meals for communities across the South of England and West London. 

Founded in March 2017, with a van and later a lock-up in Chichester, UKHarvest now operates a fleet of vans and a warehouse with chilled and frozen storage. Its work connects food donors with households seeking affordable, nutritious food, as well as people who want to help prevent food waste. 

As community needs have changed, so has the charity. Its Community Food Hubs bring affordable food directly to local neighbourhoods, while its in-school Grub Club programme, launched in 2024, now supports 20 primary schools in West Sussex. Nourish Hub opened in West London in 2021, combining nutritious meals with food education. Community Grub Clubs and Nourish Hub Café joined its growing range of services in January 2026. 

Susannah Day, Chair of the Board for UKHarvest, said: 

“With the generous support of Queen Camilla as Patron, UKHarvest has continued to grow into an outstanding charity, delivering affordable food and free food education to thousands of people each year through our Community Food Hubs, Grub Clubs, Nourish Hub and community cafés.  

The team and volunteers work towards a more sustainable food system in a time when the cost of living continues to rise and more people are using our services, keeping the community at the center of everything we do. Thank you.” 

Behind the milestone is a shared effort: food donors choosing to give their surplus a purpose, volunteers supporting activities across the charity, and an operations team collecting, sorting and redistributing food. Together with charity partners, they help good food reach more homes rather than go to waste. 

For UKHarvest, 10 million meals’ worth of rescued food is a reason to celebrate and a starting point for what comes next. As it looks towards its next milestone, the charity wants more local people and organisations to join its mission: less good food wasted and better access to healthy food, whatever a household’s circumstances. 

Help make the next million possible 

• Give what you can: a one-off or regular donation helps support UKHarvest’s ongoing food rescue work. 

• Give your time: explore volunteering opportunities and put your time and skills to use for your community. 

• Give surplus food a home: farms, growers, producers and other food businesses can contact UKHarvest about donating suitable surplus food. 

• Bring your business or community group on board: organise a fundraiser, offer professional skills or explore a charity partnership. 

To donate, volunteer or find out how your business can help, visit www.ukharvest.org.uk or email [email protected]. Every new supporter can help keep good food moving towards the people and communities who can use it.