SOS NI – Rescuing fresh food and redistributing to those in need

In this episode I’m speaking to Pete Loughins from SOS Northern Ireland’s Food Programme, which gathers food and other goods from supermarkets that would otherwise go to waste, and redistributes them to other non-profit organisations which are providing frontline support to vulnerable members of the community.

What distinguishes SOS NI from other redistribution initiatives is their focus on capturing fresh produce – collecting bread and other baked goods, fruit and vegetables, rather than canned and non-perishable produce which most others capture. They gather the food 6 nights a week, distributing it the following morning to ensure it is still fresh.

This is the first in a two-part series – the second episode will be released in 2 weeks time, and shares the stories of the volunteers as they deliver the food, and representatives of the recipient organisations.