New food redistribution hub opens in Barking to combat waste and poverty

A new food redistribution facility has opened in Barking, east London, with the goal of diverting up to 10 tonnes of surplus food from waste streams to charities and food banks every week.

The Big Heart Food Hub will support more than 20 local organizations assisting residents affected by the cost of living crisis. The majority of the supplies will consist of unsold items that would otherwise be discarded, potentially providing meals for approximately 7,000 people weekly.

Nathan Grady, the charity food coordinator, highlighted the severity of the situation in the area. “We are statistically the poorest borough in London and we recognise that there’s a big need. People are missing meals – children are missing meals,” he said.

The initiative is a collaboration involving Barking and Dagenham Council, The Kindness Offensive, Food for All, Felix, City Harvest, and Kingsley Hall. Felix, a charity specializing in food redistribution, collects surplus inventory from retailers and providers to prevent it from being landfilled or incinerated. This food is then allocated to community groups, soup kitchens, schools, and food banks.

David Goodfellow, a manager at the Big Heart hub and founder of The Kindness Offensive, described the facility as a crucial intermediary. “They are the ones who are on the front line and they don’t have the resources to be able to feed all of the people that are coming to their doors. We are a stepping stone, a middle ground between some of the big suppliers and some of the community-facing groups, to give them the supplies that they need. There’s a lot of people who are hungry,” he explained.

Recipients of the hub’s services include Sana Sajid, who operates a food club at Darul Ummah Goresbrook community centre alongside her husband. She noted that providing food assistance allows vulnerable individuals to redirect their limited funds toward essential bills, making a significant impact on their financial stability.

Data from the Trust for London indicates that food insecurity in the region rose by 23% between the 2022/23 and 2024/25 periods. Saima Ashraf, deputy leader of Barking and Dagenham Council, emphasized the importance of utilizing surplus edible food rather than letting it go to waste.

“It’s sad that we have to use food banks, however it is also sad that a lot of food is being thrown away. Surplus good food – not rotten food – is going to residents and families that deserve it,” Ashraf stated.

Beyond immediate food distribution, the partnership aims to expand its offerings to include volunteering opportunities, training, and development programs. Mr. Grady expressed a desire to create employment pathways and educate recipients on cooking with unfamiliar ingredients.

“We want to create jobs out of it and teach people how to cook with the food that they get. So when they come to a food bank they’re not like: ‘What’s the celeriac? What do I do with it?'” he added.