Charity launches hackathon, urging businesses to help feed Birmingham

Birmingham charity Active Wellbeing Society is organising a hackathon to support their goal of lessening food insecurity.

The event will take place at the Warehouse Caf� on Allison Street in Digbeth on Thursday, September 28. There will be two sessions, from 12 to 2pm and 5 to 7pm, and both will be centred around a meal cooked from surplus by talented community chefs from the Food Justice Network (FJN).

More than two fifths of people in the city (43 per cent) are living in areas in the top 10 per cent most deprived nationally. This means it is harder to access food, and the issue is worsening.

These difficulties exist alongside a move to combat waste, and to make sure any good quality food that is left goes to feed bellies, not bins. Recently, surplus food has been harder to find, and food bank donations (both financial and edible) are decreasing.

The Active Wellbeing Society, run free community cafes and a food truck, and support nearly 300 food projects across Birmingham working with those in need. They also campaign to end food poverty, inequality and injustice.

In one week in March 14,000 people were fed by just 131 of the Food Justice Network projects.

Vicky Hemming, head of food at The Active Wellbeing Society said: "There is a citywide map of the 300 plus food projects who make up the Food Justice Network.

“If someone is in need then they can be signposted to their nearest food provision. The challenge is many of these projects are now struggling to access enough food themselves to keep going. For anyone wanting to offer support the Food Justice Network isa great place to start.”

The price of food and non-alcoholic beverages rose by 17.4 per cent in the year to June 2023 (ONS), and in one two week period, 1 in 20 adults said they had run out and been unable to afford more. For the lowest earners a healthy diet would take nearly three quarters of their disposable income.

This bleak picture has made the charity reach out to businesses for pledges of financial support that we will then distribute through the FJN.

This could help feed some of the thousands of people who rely on volunteer-led or charitable organisations to eat, while helping to cut waste.

Those who engage will have an opportunity to support Birmingham's more disadvantaged citizens, and potentially help the environment. They are also looking for any businesses that may wish to be flagship sponsors.

Click here to book for the Hackathon or email [email protected].

Click here to donate.