Running a Food Bank
This section provides information on the day-to-day logistics of providing food aid including: how to ensure the food provided is safe and/or prepared in line with current Food Standard Agency (FSA) regulations; guidance on bulk ordering; using shopping vouchers or gift cards instead of food parcels; how to approach waste disposal; as well as guidance on insurance for food aid organisations.
Providing food parcels at scale can be an onerous task, and often takes up a considerable amount of time and effort. For thoughts on how to balance this objective with other critical goals, you can read this blog which outlines one food bank’s approach to multiple challenges.
Food Safety and Hygiene (FSA):
Food safety and hygiene guidance for food banks and charities
Food safety guidance for community cooking and food banks
Allergen labelling changes for for pre-packed for direct sale
Food Safety Training ​
​ To mitigate health and safety risks, Level 2 Food Safety and Hygiene in Catering for key team members is advised as a minimum to ensure best practise in accepting donations, storing, packing and redistributing ambient, fresh, frozen foods, and cooked meals.
Examples of affordable online training courses:
Using shopping vouchers alongside or instead of food parcels
Bulk ordering ​​
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Tesco, Aldi, Lidl and Asda do not accommodate online bulk orders but you can ask the individual store manager or talk with the customer service desk (Asda) to place a bulk order although this is left to the discretion of the store.
Food Waste Disposal​
For many food aid providers, disposing of waste after a busy session can be a huge task. Here are some options based on learning from various IFAN member organisations:
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​Check what your local authority will/will not take for free. ​Many local authorities offer free waste disposal to churches and places of worship, and some of these extend this offer to charities. However, many local authorities do not provide this service, and class charities as a business in this instance.
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​Volunteers can take waste away to waste/recycling depots. ​This can work, however, this can involve a lot of time and effort and a Plan B is needed when volunteers aren't available. Waste should never be left outside public bins, this can be considered fly-tipping.
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​Use a professional waste service. ​Whilst this costs money, this option at least guarantees waste collection. Also, specific types of collection can be ordered (plastics, food waste, general waste etc).
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Put measures in place to ensure there is less waste. For example, distributing shopping vouchers or gift cars significantly reduces both time and physical waste.
Insurance
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The NVCO has listed Zurich as their trusted third sector insurance provider. Read through Zurich's guide for charities below or speak to a Zurich advisor directly on: 0800 917 9508.
UK Government guidance suggests using an organisation that is a member of the British Insurance Brokers Association(BIBA) to insure your charity.