Great news for the Isle of Wight Pop Up Soup Kitchen (PUSK), as the supermarket chain, Tesco, donate a free delivery van, helping the organisation continue to feed the Island’s homeless.
The former home delivery van, will undergo a transformation into a pop-up kitchen, helping secure the future of this important community food service set up by Trevor Blaney in 2014.
Maintain Tesco livery for covert deliveries
Trevor tells News OnTheWight that Tesco were planning to donate a white van with the PUSK’s logo, but he purposely asked them to make the van as close to a Tesco delivery van as they could.
His reason for this was to be able to ‘covertly’ dispense food parcels and meals to the many more middle class families they are supporting in the current economic climate.
Using food that would go to waste
As reported by News OnTheWight over the past six years, Isle of Wight supermarkets and local suppliers, such as the Garlic Farm and the Tomato Stall, donate food that would normally go to waste.
Trevor and his team to use for soups and other nutritious meals, which are then distributed to those in need.
Blaney: Working with Tesco has been a lifeline
Trevor said,
“We simply can’t believe this. Not only is it wonderful news for the team, it is a great asset to those less fortunate on our Island.
“This has been a lifeline for us, working with Tesco.”
Waste Food Cafe
As reported by News OnTheWight last year, PUSK’s base at the Waste Food Cafe on Newport High Street came to an end after several years, when the landlord accepted an offer on the property.
Roberts: Van will help to support homeless people this winter
Jon Roberts, store manager Tesco Ryde, added,
“We’re so pleased to be able to support such an important charity on the Island.
“We knew the PUSK recently lost its premises, and so the van will help ensure the charity can continue to support homeless people this winter.”
The charity is a beneficiary of Tesco’s Community Food Connection scheme, run through the charity FareShare, meaning it regularly collects surplus food from the supermarket’s store in Ryde to help with its work.
To stay up to date with the Pop Up Soup Kitchen visit their social media account.
