With the Covid pandemic causing hardship across the world, this year’s Simpson Spence Young (SSY) Charity Challenge was all about raising money for local food charities, and in London the chosen charity was Fareshare UK.

Fareshare UK takes good quality surplus food from across the industry, and then distributes it to frontline charities and community groups so that they can turn it into food parcels and meals for people in need.

Since the pandemic started, the number of charities that FareShare supports has dramatically increased and the number of people accessing FareShare food each week has risen to 933,178. Without the support of FareShare, one in five charities would have to close, putting more families and children at risk of going hungry.

This year the staff of SSY in London have raised £13,360 through the challenge, including a generous donation from the Baltic Exchange Charitable Foundation. This is enough to be able to provide 53,440 meals to children, families and people in need of support.

Groups that benefit from FareShare include school breakfast clubs, food charities and community support hubs such as the Peckham Pantry in nearby Southwark, where 31 per cent of residents live in poverty.

Participants in this year’s charity challenge were asked to complete as many km as possible over a week in any way they wanted. Challengers logged over 400 activities which included walking, running, cycling, tennis, golf, rowing and swimming, totalling a massive 6789km.

“Giving something back is hugely important to us and with the Covid19 pandemic having a big impact on many people’s lives this is now more crucial than ever. It’s great to know that the funds we’ve raised will go directly to help a family, a child or an individual in need. The work that FareShare does with food suppliers and charities makes a huge difference and we’re proud to be able to help,” said Mark Richardson, Chairman, Simpson Spence Young.

“We’re blown away by the phenomenal amount raised by the London team at Simpson Spence Young. It’s amazing to see the enthusiasm and fun that has gone into clocking up the kilometres in this challenge. No one should have to go without a meal. With the demand for food on the rise, this donation couldn’t come at a more valuable time for FareShare. It will play a key part in ensuring that we can reach those struggling and provide relief in this challenging climate.” said Alyson Walsh, Commercial Director at FareShare.

This year’s SSY Charity challenge has now helped raise over £30,000 in total for charities across the world and you can read more about it on the SSY blog.

You can still donate to Fareshare through the Just Giving page – www.justgiving.com/fundraising/SSY2020