innocent drinks has joined acclaimed charity The Felix Project in its fight against hunger – kickstarting a long-term partnership by providing 1 million meals for people in need.
The partnership is part of innocent’s campaign to help every household hit the government guideline recommended intake of five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. According to the Government’s National Diet and Nutrition Survey, currently, two out of three people fall below the daily recommended levels.
Recent research by the University of East Anglia’s Norwich Medical School also found that children who ate five or more portions of fruit and veg a day had the highest score for mental wellbeing, prompting The Felix Project to call out for brands and restaurants to help them provide even more fresh fruit and veg to the 1.5 million adults in London who struggle to afford to eat every day and the 400,000 children who are at risk of missing their next meal.
Rachel Ledwith MBE, Head of Community Engagement at The Felix Project, said: “We are so grateful for innocent’s pledge to donate 1 million meals to The Felix Project through its inspiring Little Drinks, Big Dreams campaign. The Felix Project is committed to rescuing as much nutritious food as possible – including a high proportion of fresh fruit and vegetables – and delivering it directly to charities and schools supporting people in need.
“Demand for our service has never been higher and unfortunately we anticipate it will remain high for some time – so we’re calling out for even more people, shops, restaurants and companies to help us by donating surplus fruit, veg and other foods so we can get closer to creating a London where no good food is wasted, and no one goes hungry.”
With thousands of families across the capital already facing a tough winter, compounded by the COVID-19 crisis and rising food prices, innocent will be focused on providing access to fruit & veg to the tables of those who need them most – enabling high-quality, healthy and nutritious meals to be served.
innocent’s UK & Ireland Managing Director, Sam Akinluyi joined Rachel Ledwith MBE at the charity’s depot in Park Royal to sort through fresh fruit and vegetables to help deliver it to local charities, food banks and schools.
Sam Akinluyi, said: “At innocent, our ambition is to bring good nutrition to everyone and right now, this goal has never been more important. It’s proven that fruits and vegetables are beneficial to people’s physical and mental wellbeing, but two out of three people aren’t getting their daily recommended intake, while millions across the UK are struggling simply to put food on the table at all – let alone thinking about whether they’re hitting their ‘five-a-day’.
“That’s why we’re so delighted to begin this journey with The Felix Project. The partnership reinforces our long-standing commitment to helping people live well. Since 1999 we’ve consistently donated 10% of our profits to charity partners, and our own innocent foundation, to support people and planet, help alleviate hunger and drive social progress. We’re excited to continue this legacy alongside The Felix Project.”
A recent report by The Food Foundation found that foods high in sugar and fat cost just 40% of the price of fruit and veg per 1,000 calories. And families in the poorest one-fifth of UK households would have to spend 40% of their disposable income on food to meet the Government’s Eatwell Guide, compared to just 7% of for the richest one-fifth of households.
As the largest food redistribution charity in London, The Felix Project’s ongoing work supports Londoners who struggle to afford to eat every day. The new partnership with innocent will continue its work of providing delicious and healthy meals to other charities, food banks, social kitchens and schools.
As part of the partnership, innocent and The Felix Project will be focusing on how everyone can get more seasonal surplus fruit & veg into your diet, with recipes and practical tips available on their websites and social channels. Visit www.innocentdrinks.co.uk for more information.
