Founder of the 50-year-old Rigby Group Sir Peter Rigby has officially opened the Birmingham Coronation Food Hub in Gravelly Park to help turbo-charge the fight against food poverty and unemployment in the region.
Annually, seven million meals will be provided for people in the West Midlands who live in food poverty, thanks to a £2m donation from The Sir Peter Rigby Charitable Trust.
Currently, the need in Birmingham is dire with one in two children living in poverty and one in five 18–25-year-olds unemployed.
Sir Peter’s donation is in direct response to the King’s call to businesses to step up and help stop 10 billion meals worth of edible food being wasted annually in the UK.
More than 50 high-profile guests attended the ‘Sir Peter Rigby Coronation Food Hub’ launch to express their support and to hear Sir Peter speak about his ambitions and hopes for the project.
Amongst them was West Midlands Mayor, Richard Parker, the Lord Lieutenant of the region (representing the King) and CEOs of big retail outlets such as the MD of Tesco.
Sir Peter said: "I was deeply shocked and saddened to learn that nearly half of Birmingham’s children live in poverty, with many having very limited access to regular nutritious meals. My decision to support the new Coronation Food Hub reflects my commitment to ensuring that local families don’t go hungry.
“By working in collaboration with FareShare Midlands and local community groups, we aim to reduce food waste and address the root causes of poverty in our region.”
The ground-breaking facility, dedicated to food redistribution and skills development, is operated by FareShare Midlands. The charity currently redistributes surplus food to 650 charities, community groups and schools across the region, helping to feed around 60,000 people weekly.
This food hub, funded by Sir Peter, will double charitable food redistribution capacity in the region meaning seven million meals will be distributed annually. Beyond food, it will enable local people to access training in warehousing, catering and technology, supporting 500 people annually into sustainable employment.
Simone Connolly, FareShare Midlands CEO, said: "The Coronation Food Hub represents a powerful step forward in tackling food poverty and unemployment across Birmingham. This cutting-edge facility will not only enable FareShare Midlands to redistribute substantially more surplus food to those who need it most, but also help break the cycle of poverty through training and employment opportunities for local people.
“We are incredibly grateful to Sir Peter Rigby and his Charitable Trust for the generous support and commitment to creating lasting change.”
Through the use of the high specification kitchen facility, FareShare Midlands will also be able to provide training for charities and individuals to learn more about utilising surplus food.
Sir Peter said; “I have always believed that success in business should go hand in hand with giving back. I came from a humble background, and I am very aware that not everyone is fortunate enough to have a good start in life.
"Never before has it been as tough to feed families as it is now due to the cost-of-living crisis. I am honoured to be part of the King’s fantastic initiative that will directly support my local community and reduce food poverty across the region.”
