Surplus Food Coordinator

As a volunteer Surplus Food Coordinator you’ll work with local supermarkets, shops, restaurants, and surplus food services to ensure the weekly FoodCycle session has a regular donation of food. You will be passionate about reducing the amount of food that’s wasted in our society and actively seek out opportunities to work with local services, grow your Project’s networks within the local community, and represent FoodCycle at local food waste events and meetings. Responsibilities include:

• Coordinating a team of volunteers, and inducting new volunteers, to collect surplus food in your local area.

• Making sure that local retailers and supermarkets know what kind of surplus food we can collect.

• Developing good relationships with store managers to ensure a regular food supply to your Project.

• Encouraging the whole team to have input into growing your Project’s networks within the local community.

• Communicating with other Surplus Food Coordinators and Cooking Project Leaders to ensure the store of dry/tinned goods is kept tidy and well stocked.

You don’t need to have any previous experience – you just need to love food and motivating people!

About FoodCycle

Week in, week out we nourish the hungry and lonely in our communities with delicious meals and great conversation, using food which would otherwise go to waste. FoodCycle aims to:

• Connect communities

• Support mental health and wellbeing

• Nourish the hungry

• Promote sustainability

• Inspire change

A FoodCycle Project is where the magic happens. Each Project is run on the ground by a team of lead volunteers called Project Leaders, who ensure the smooth running of their FoodCycle Project. Project Leaders are passionate, committed and want to make a positive change within their community. They take ownership and make decisions about the day-to-day running of their Project.

Skills you'll learn:

✓ Leadership: you’ll coordinate the food collection team and induct new volunteers, ensuring everyone knows their route and how to collect the right foods.

✓ Relationship building: you’ll lead on promoting your Project to local retailers and supermarkets, and developing good relationships with store managers to ensure a regular food supply to your Project.

✓ Researching information: you’ll find information on places where your Project could collect surplus food and see if there are any other food networks that your Project could be involved with in your area.

✓ Networking and public speaking: there will be opportunities for you to represent FoodCycle at supermarkets and events, to let other local organisations know about the great work that your Project does and help grow its reputation and food supply.

What to expect from FoodCycle:

✓ Regular visits, support, and advice from your local FoodCycle staff team.

✓ Expenses covered in line with our volunteer policy.

✓ Accredited Level 2 Food Safety qualification provided by FoodCycle.

✓ A variety of other training opportunities provided throughout the year, including first aid.

✓ An annual conference to help share knowledge and experience with other volunteers on a national level.

✓ The opportunity to take on additional tasks/responsibilities within your Project Leader team.

✓ Impressive skills to add to your CV and a reference if/when you need it.

✓ The opportunity to meet a large network of like-minded people.

✓ A fun, creative volunteer experience with ownership over a community-led Project.

What’s expected from me

We hope that Project Leaders stay with us for a minimum of 6 months, to enable them to get the most out of the role. As Surplus Food Coordinator, you will be expected to:

✓ Attend regular Project Leader meetings to discuss as a team how things are going.

✓ Lead a minimum of one session per month.

✓ Follow all FoodCycle policies and procedures, including reporting any accidents and incidents.

✓ Complete Level 2 Food Safety, Food Allergens, and safeguarding training.

✓ Complete an enhanced DBS check (required for all roles involving ‘regulated activity’).

✓ Recognise, respond to, and report any safeguarding issues or concerns. Note: you must not be barred from working with children and adults who may be vulnerable and at risk of abuse or neglect.

✓ Complete the session Project report on our website after leading a session.

Time commitment

The suggested minimum time commitment for the Surplus Food Coordinator role is 8 hours a month.