West Sussex food hub scheme extended to 2027

A community food hub scheme that has saved more than 100 tonnes of food from going to waste has been extended in West Sussex until 2027.

The UKHarvest Community Food Hub scheme, run in partnership with Sussex-based charity UKHarvest and West Sussex County Council, began as a six-month pilot in October 2022. It was extended after additional funding allowed it to continue until the end of April 2027. Since April 2023, the initiative has diverted surplus food from suppliers and offered residents affordable access to groceries.

The hubs operate without referral and are open to all, with a voluntary £5 donation suggested. As well as providing food, they share advice on reducing waste, healthy recipes, recycling, wellbeing, and fire prevention, and also host Citizens Advice services. Council officials said the scheme supports communities during the cost-of-living crisis while helping to cut the 40 per cent of household waste that is still made up of discarded food.

UKHarvest’s head of operations, logistics and compliance, Simon Thresher, described the hubs as welcoming spaces where residents can connect and access support. Locations include Southwick, Petworth, Storrington and Worthing