Volunteers and drivers needed at Teesside charity after break-in
FareShare North East in Middlesbrough are recovering since the incident three weeks ago
A Teesside charity's been telling us it's been very busy and challenging returning to some kind of normality three weeks since a devastating break-in saw the loss of 16 tonnes of food.
Around 7,000 meals were also ruined after thieves cut the power supply at FareShare North East's warehouse in Middlesbrough.
The charity redistributes surplus food to local community groups that would normally go to waste.
They're appealing for more volunteers, especially drivers, to help with deliveries.
Natasha Flanagan is the manager of the hub in MIddlesbrough: "The support from the community groups that we delivered to has been incredible and the wider community as well. They've been amazing and so many people sent in their well wishes and showed us support and it's been really heartwarming.
"We're doing our best. The response from the local community has been amazing and we've had local businesses reaching out with donations and kind words and as well as support from our neighbours, but we are desperate for more volunteers to come and join our lovely little team.
"Our volunteer drivers are at the heart of our operation, collecting and delivering food that supports thousands of people across the North East. The support that we've seen since the break-in has shown the difference volunteers make and we'd love to welcome more people who can help us continue reaching communities across the region.
"Normally our drivers start at 8am and they come in and load our vans with the orders that we have picked the day before for the community groups for that day and they go and deliver the food, so it could be up to seven drops in a van. You're normally only out for a couple of hours but it's a good social experience as well I think. You go out and you meet all the groups that we deliver to. A lot of them are retired as well, so a lot of the time, that's the only interaction that they'll get that week.
"The Rotary Club do a lot of volunteer driving for us in Middlesbrough, which is absolutely amazing. I think we've got a bank of around 12 drivers from the Rotary Club, which is fantastic. But yeah, we absolutely are desperate for people to come and help deliver our foods.
"The same drivers tend to come in week in and week out for us so for example, we have three drivers for a Wednesday. But there's also ad hoc tasks that need doing that we need a van for as well; so we collect things from like Tesco, there's bio runs that we need to do as when we've got food waste that we need to get rid of, it goes to a bio plant, so there's all these different things. It doesn't have to be just delivering food."
Kate Roebuck is from FareShare North East and she said: "We're just so grateful that people are seeing us, recognising what we do, supporting us. The messages that we have had has been overwhelming. Everybody has been so supportive and we're just so grateful that people have our back and it's just heartwarming.
"One three-hour shift as a driver or as a volunteer is the equivalent of around 216 meals distributed."
The pair added: "If we could get a couple of extra drivers in to fit into those slots, it would just be amazing. But also, as we grow and expand across the Tees Valley, we're going to need more drivers as we have more vans and more food going out as well so actively recruiting new groups to come on board because there is a real need for it in Middlesbrough."
Find out more about FareShare North East on their website.