A food distribution charity is appealing for urgent help to transform surplus provisions into meals while tackling environmental issues simultaneously.

FareShare Sussex & Surrey has launched the Earth Raise crowdfunding campaign via the Big Give platform, aiming to collect funds to fight food poverty and reduce waste. Public donations will be matched until April 29.

The campaign highlights the scale of food waste in Britain, where around 4.6 million tonnes of edible provisions are discarded each year—representing approximately 10 billion meals—while 14.1 million people face food insecurity.

Dan Slatter, Chief Executive at FareShare Sussex & Surrey, said this situation needs to end.

Every year, millions of tonnes of food that could be eaten are wasted while people struggle to afford meals.

The climate emergency and food poverty are deeply connected.

This campaign will allow us to rescue more surplus food, cut emissions and support those who need help at the same time.

The charity passes on surplus food to 248 community groups in the area, supporting more than 28,500 people every week.

Siân Berry, the Green Party MP for Brighton Pavilion, commented that throwing away food during the current climate emergency makes no sense.

Cutting the amount of food sent to landfill and redirecting it to people who need it is essential for both the environment and local communities in Brighton.