More than 12 million meals were distributed by a food surplus charity last year and helped members save millions on their food shopping budgets.
The Bread and Butter Thing had 81 hubs spread across Northumberland, North Tyneside, County Durham, Darlington and Hartlepool as well as in Manchester, West Yorkshire and Cheshire at the end of 2022.
The hubs offer users groceries at just a fraction of the price, with people who sign up paying just £8.50 for a bag of groceries worth around £35. The scheme saved members collectively £4.8 million on their food budgets last year.
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The charity has around 45,000 members and helped more than 14,000 households stop or reduce their food bank use.
In the North East there are nearly 10,000 members are registered to the scheme, with around 1,000 families accessing the hubs each week. In the past two years around 580 tonnes of food has distributed, with each hubs using around one tonne of food each visit. This equals around 16 tonnes of food a week, or the equivalent of 38,080 meals every week.
In 2022 the charity opened its most northerly hub in Morpeth, with a further five hubs opening in County Durham and a further five due to open this year, taking the total to 15 in the county.
A partnership with Sunderland City Council has seen hubs open in Easington Lane, Hendon, Washington, Silksworth and Southwick in recent months, along with a hub in Pennywell, which has been supported by Gentoo and Karbon Homes.
In an annual report on the work being done by the charity, CEO Mark Game said: "The economic challenges every person in Britain has faced this year have been significant and have forced many families into financially difficult situations.
"With rising food prices, increasing housing costs and crippling energy prices, more and more people are struggling with everyday life.
"As a result, TBBT has worked with partners to deliver an increased and sustainable response, actively investing in the long-term future of low-income communities.
"By providing access to healthy, affordable food, our communities build foundations that make them stronger, more closely connected and healthier.
"Every week they gather, working together to provide an uplifting, dignified and non-stigmatising shop for their neighbours. Allowing people to rebuild their lives and giving them a step-up towards stability."
Mr Game said the charity is a catalyst for change and is "about much more than food", with it exploring new ways to help members.
This has included new Warm Hubs where people can chat and enjoy a cuppa, tackling loneliness and social isolation.
It also extended its Additional Services programme which sees skilled partners come to hubs to provide advice and support in areas such as digital exclusion, energy supply, income maximisation and mental health.
The charity also articulates the concerns of members to policy makers at local, regional and national level, while the launch of a podcast 'A Slice of Bread and Butter' gives people a platform for their voice, Mr Game said.
He said the work is underpinned by the extraordinary work of food partners and companies who lend their staff on volunteering days.
He added: "But none of this would happen without the work of our amazing and tireless local volunteers who show up for us and their communities, week-in, week-out and make the magic happen."
The Bread and Butter Thing was founded in Manchester in 2016 and works with manufacturers, retailers and the hospitality industry to redistribute surplus food to people who need it the most.
Its community vans regularly redistribute over 100 tonnes of food a week to more than 90 community locations.
The scheme is free to join, anyone can become a member, and there is no ongoing commitment.
To sign up, text The Bread and Butter Thing with the name of the hub you’d like to join. Once you have signed up to be a member, you will receive a weekly text asking if you’d like any groceries that week. If you reply ‘yes’, your order will be delivered to your chosen The Bread and Butter Thing hub.
You can choose from a top selling family bag at £8.50, an individual bag for £5 or a large family bag for £17. There is also a vegetarian option.
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