If you have ever been to a supermarket, you will know that food often remains unsold even when it is perfectly good to eat. A bag of carrots rejected because one is too crooked. A crate of apples set aside because of a small bruise. A loaf of bread left on the shelf because it is nearing its use-by date. Similarly, what happens to produce when a farmer cannot find enough buyers? Have you ever wondered what happens to all this food? Much of it risks ending up in the bin.For most of us, the story ends there. But in southern England, one woman saw an opportunity to change that. In 2017, Yvonne Thomson founded UKHarvest, inspired by the need to reduce food waste at a time when more people were struggling to afford food. What began as a one-person-and-a-van mission has since grown into a food rescue operation that has saved the equivalent of 10 million meals!
From one van to a fleet
The first UKHarvest vehicle was a single van, and its base was a lock-up in Chichester, which doubled as a small storage unit for whatever food could be saved that week. The idea was simple: collect surplus food from farms and food businesses before it was thrown away, then get it to people who needed it. Initially, the work was mostly about moving food from one place to another. Over time, the charity learned that handing out food is only part of the job. People also need affordable options, and they often need to know what to do with what they receive. This need led to the expansion of its services into several strands. UKHarvest’s Community Food Hubs bring affordable food straight into local neighbourhoods, so families do not have to travel far to access it. Nourish Hub, which opened in West London in 2021, combines nutritious meals with food education. In 2024, another programme, a Grub Club, was launched. It caught the eye of local schools and now supports 20 primary schools in West Sussex. Children learn about food as well as eat it. A child who grows up understanding where dinner comes from is likely to make different choices later. In January 2026, the charity added Community Grub Clubs and a Nourish Hub Café to its list of services. Today, the charity runs a fleet of vans and a warehouse with chilled and frozen storage, which means it can keep a wider range of food safe for longer.
The amount of surplus food the charity collects each week has now reached 10 tonnes, UKHarvest confirms. It sources this surplus food from growers, producers and distributors across the south of England and West London.Queen Camilla is the charity’s patron. “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 at a time when the cost of living continues to rise and more people are using our services, keeping the community at the centre of everything we do. Thank you,” Susannah Day, Chair of the Board of UKHarvest, said in a statement.The charity reached the 10 million meals milestone on Friday, 16 October, World Food Day. A delivery pushed the charity’s total to the equivalent of 10 million meals. UKHarvest is treating the figure as a starting point rather than a finish line. It is asking local residents, businesses and food producers to help shape what comes next.You can also contribute to the cause, either through a one-off or regular donation. You can also volunteer your time, while food producers and businesses can contact the charity about donating suitable surplus food. Organisations can also run a fundraiser, offer professional skills or explore a partnership. Details are available at http://www.ukharvest.org.uk, or by emailing info@ukharvest.org.uk.
