Food waste charity workers protest the Tory Party Conference
They help some of the 1,700 children living in poverty in Rutland
Last updated 3rd Oct 2023
Charity workers from the Midlands are up north today to protest the Conservative Party Conference and demand action on food poverty.
Organisation Fareshare, with bases across the Midlands, are among those outside the gathering of Conservative Party members in Manchester City Centre.
The food redistribution charity are asking the government to intervene and get surplus food to those in serious need.
They say that while one in five people are in food poverty, 3 million tonnes of food goes to waste on UK farms every year.
Fareshare Midlands currently support 67,000 vulnerable people every week with food they may not otherwise have been able to afford.
There are currently 1,700 children living in poverty in Rutland.
The charity tells us the Conservatives need to step in, as their waiting lists are longer than ever and families are going hungry.
Ben Ashmore from the charity said:
"Millions of tonnes of food is going to waste across the UK at the same time as people are struggling and don't know where their next meal is coming from.
"So today us, and charities that receive food from us, are calling on the government to stand up and help get more food to those that need it.
"We're asking the government - where's the food? When there's so much going to waste and so many people struggling it is not right.
"More and more people are coming to us, this is people in work, full-time people, this is now one of the biggest groups that need support from us.
"It is an outrage that this is happening today."