The Bread and Butter Project wins prestigious award

The Bread and Butter Thing has been awarded the prestigious Queens Award for Voluntary Service.

The project, which is originally from Manchester, has helped residents across the borough during the coronavirus crisis and has now been given the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK. We want to congratulate The Bread and Butter Thing on the work it has done for the residents of Darlington, and on winning the Queens Award of Voluntary Service.

Hundreds of residents across Darlington have already benefited from the project which aims at reducing food waste and helping families with groceries. The scheme has been brought to Darlington thanks to funding from Cummins, Darlington Building Society and Darlington Borough Council.

This service offers anyone the chance to buy surplus fresh food and groceries at a hugely discounted price. For only £7.50, three bags of food worth an average of £35 are packed and available for collection from the hubs. The bags include mostly fresh food, and some packaged food, which is surplus stock from supermarkets, distributers and manufacturers. Supplies are subject to availability and there is no choice regarding the contents of the bags although every effort is made to ensure variety.

Councillor Heather Scott, Leader of Darlington Borough Council, said: “The response has been astounding. The Bread and Butter Thing is fully deserving of this prestigious award and I want to take this opportunity to congratulate them.

“TBBT is a welcome addition to the tremendous amount of work being done across Darlington to make sure the most vulnerable people in our community don’t go without, whether that’s through the council or community initiatives. I’m incredibly proud of the way the town has pulled together in these difficult times.”