THE MARKS and Spencer’s store in Petersfield has donated its 75th shopping trolley full of food to Winton House, which uses the donations to help some of its operations.
The weekly donations, which begun in April 2016, are of food that is past its sell by date. Store operations manager Steve Middleton said: “I hate to see stuff going in the bin, but we only give low ambient products, that is food that is still safe to use, no chilled products or meats are donated.”
Winton House manager Sheridan Rocher said the food goes to local charities, such as Petersfield Food Bank, the King’s Arms Youth Centre, and the Age Concern Lunch Club. One man even makes marmalade which he sells for charity. Some of the food is used to make cakes for the popular and busy cafe in Winton House in Petersfield High Street.
She added: “If they didn’t donate the food it would just be wasted, sometimes we get given two trollies of food a week which is still perfectly edible and can be used for eating or cooking.
“Around Petersfield, tons of food must be thrown away every day, it’s a real waste when it can all be used. The waste across the country as a whole doesn’t bear thinking about.”