Havens Food Cooperative Reaches £2 Million Worth of Surplus Food Redistributed- 2026

In April 2026 the Havens Food Cooperative Project reached yet another significant milestone in food waste prevention and redistribution! Through its daily community pantry and pop up pantry initiative, a team of nearly 50 dedicated volunteers, and partnerships with 21 local stores, the project continues to fight food waste while supporting individuals and families experiencing food insecurity across the Havens area.

To mark this milestone, Havens Food Cooperative hosted a celebration event bringing together the many people who make this work possible- including volunteers, supporters, partner organisations, funders, and local dignitaries such as Deputy Lord Lieutenant David Allam and Karen Allam, Deputy Mayor of Peacehaven Aimee Harman, Mayor of Seaford Maggie Wearmouth, Mayor of Newhaven Kim Bishop, and councillors from Peacehaven, Seaford, and Newhaven.

The celebration also looked ahead. Havens Food Cooperative remains committed to expanding its reach, rescuing even more food, and continuing to strengthen the local community through its actions.

 Havens Food Cooperative's £1 Million of Surplus Food Milestone- 2023

In November 2023 the Havens Food Cooperative Project reached a significant milestone in food waste prevention and redistribution. An incredible £1 million worth of surplus food has been collected and redistributed since the start of the project in April 2020. Volunteers have worked hard, collaborating with 19 local stores in the Havens area to rescue and redivert surplus food, using this food to support the community. Not only has the project run a daily community pantry, which has prevented food from ending up in landfill, but the project also has been able to support 16 local groups and organisations through a Pop-up-Pantry Scheme, which sees that groups including; schools, nurseries, foodbanks, refuges, community projects and more are able to receive and redistribute surplus food their settings each week.

This milestone of £1 million worth of surplus food redistributed is a testament to the incredible team of volunteers, the partnerships with local food stores and community groups and of course the brilliant community the project is based in. The project will continue redistributing surplus and providing further food support to individuals, families and groups in the community, working towards the next £1 million worth of surplus food redistributed!