At FareShare Cymru, we redistribute good-to-eat food that would have otherwise gone to waste to people who need it most. The food we source comes from manufacturers, farmers, and suppliers and ranges from fruit and vegetables to dairy products, to meat, and ambient food. The wide variety of food we source enables the local community groups and charities we support to offer a healthy, diverse selection to those in need — providing access not only to the dry goods typically found in food banks, but also to fresh, nourishing produce. This helps people in need access healthier, more varied diets while also reducing the amount of food sent to landfill — turning a significant environmental issue into a meaningful social solution. 

In 2015, the Welsh government passed the Well-being of Future Generations Act, a groundbreaking piece of legislation to improve ‘the social, economic, environmental and cultural wellbeing of Wales’ now and in the future. The Act unites the government and public bodies around specific well-being goals, ensuring that improving Wales’ future remains a priority in policy decisions. 

When considering FareShare Cymru’s mission in the context of the Well-being of Future Generations Act, it’s clear that addressing the immediate challenges faced by people in Wales is essential to achieving long-term wellbeing goals. One of the most significant barriers to wellbeing is the high number of people living in poverty and experiencing food insecurity. In 2022, 20% of adults in Wales experienced food insecurity, equating to an estimated 753,000 people. FareShare Cymru supports the most vulnerable by improving access to good, nutritious food — a vital first step toward enhancing overall wellbeing and building a better future for all. 

A Healthier Wales 

Providing access to healthy food is central to FareShare Cymru’s mission, and we supply charities each week with a variety of fresh produce. Since fruits and vegetables are often more expensive and time-consuming to prepare, people in food-insecure households are less likely to buy them — making it harder for them to create nutritious meals. We believe that eating healthily should never be a luxury; by redistributing different types of fresh produce, people are able to broaden the variety in their diets and balance out their meals, contributing to better overall health. 

Additionally, some of the charities supported by FareShare Cymru offer opportunities for their service users to build confidence in the kitchen and develop practical cooking skills. Access to fresh ingredients is only part of the solution — knowing how to prepare nutritious meals can help people make the most of what’s available. By gaining these skills, individuals are better equipped to incorporate healthy, fresh food into their everyday lives 

At Hope House in Llanelli, one of the charities who receive food from FareShare Cymru, both staff and residents come together at mealtimes to cook, allowing the residents to work together and develop new skills. Vicky, a team member at Hope House, explains “We can build people up in the kitchen, we stand back and talk them through it. It’s really cool.”. She also notes how the variety of food provided by FareShare Cymru allows them to be more creative with their dishes: “[FareShare Cymru] have opened my eyes to different vegetables and new products. It’s made me look into new ways to cook things. It has broadened what we can offer the women here.”    

For charities and community initiatives without kitchen facilities, FareShare Cymru has introduced ‘pop-up’ kitchens to support cooking and meal-based services. These kitchens not only ensure more people can enjoy homemade, nutritious meals but also create opportunities for communities to come together, share skills, and learn to cook with a variety of ingredients. By bringing people together around food, these pop-up kitchens help foster healthier eating habits and strengthen connections between individuals in the community. 

A More Equal Wales 

FareShare Cymru is helping build a fairer, more equal Wales through a range of impactful initiatives. One standout project is our employability programme, FareBoost, funded by Yorkshire Building Society. FareBoost goes beyond job searches and applications — it empowers individuals to boost their employability by gaining valuable, industry-recognised qualifications. Through hands-on experience in our fully operational warehouse, participants can achieve certifications such as Level 2 Food Hygiene and Forklift Driver training, making them more competitive in the job market and opening doors to new opportunities. 

In addition, our Employability Lead runs wellbeing-related workshops and delivers practical skills sessions to help participants build their confidence and feel more prepared for the world of work. By taking a more holistic approach to employability, the programme aims to empower people from disadvantaged backgrounds to improve their chances of finding and sustaining meaningful employment. 

At FareShare Cymru, we believe it’s essential to use our resources and connections to help create opportunities for those facing barriers to employment. By making the most of what we have on site and what we can offer, we can play a part in levelling the playing field for individuals who may otherwise be overlooked. While FareBoost is one piece of a much larger puzzle in the drive for a more equal Wales, it represents a practical, innovative step toward supporting people to build a better future. 

A Globally Responsible Wales 

To become a globally responsible Wales, as the Act sets out, we must work to reduce our carbon emissions. FareShare Cymru plays an important role in reducing the amount of food that ends up in landfill which, subsequently, means we’re reducing Wales’ carbon emissions. Last year alone, we saved 2186.59 tonnes of carbon emissions that would’ve otherwise occurred, had the food we saved gone to landfill.  

With this in mind, it can be said that FareShare Cymru is actively supporting the goals of the Well-being of Future Generations Act in various ways. We continuously explore new opportunities to improve the lives of those in need, while also playing a key role in protecting the environment, ensuring that Wales becomes a better place not just today, but for future generations as well.