Volunteering with FareShare Collecting Food Bank Donations in Sussex

Last Friday, Josh and I borrowed one of Rivervale’s all-electric MAXUS eDeliver 7 vans to spend a few hours volunteering for FareShare Sussex & Surrey. As Group Marketing Manager at Rivervale, I was already aware of our partnership supplying and maintaining their fleet of MAXUS vans, but getting hands-on with the charity gave me a whole new appreciation for the vital work they do.

FareShare rescues surplus food that might otherwise go to waste, redistributing it to organisations supporting vulnerable people. In Sussex and Surrey alone, they deliver enough food for 2.14 million meals annually, supporting 16,560 people every week. It’s staggering to think that in the UK, 13.4 million people, including 4 million children, live in food poverty*.

Josh and I spent the morning driving across Sussex, collecting food donations from Tesco supermarkets in Shoreham, Burgess Hill, Hove, and Portslade. Each stop involved unloading collection baskets filled with generous public donations, transferring them into trolleys, and carefully packing crates in the van. We then drove to the next location and repeated the process before heading back to FareShare’s Brighton warehouse to unload everything. The work was hands-on and rewarding, we were only doing it for a few hours, there are volunteers that do this every single week.

There was something heartwarming about seeing the variety of items people had donated—everything from pantry staples to indulgent treats like chocolates and biscuits. It’s a testament to the generosity of the public that these collection baskets were overflowing.

At the warehouse, the food we collected would be sorted into parcels for redistribution. These organisations provide more than just meals; they offer support and dignity to those in need, whether it’s through a community fridge, a pantry, or meals served in residential settings.

Driving the MAXUS eDeliver 7 was a pleasure. As an all-electric van, it’s smooth, quiet, and surprisingly spacious—perfect for a day’s worth of crates and trolleys. It was reassuring to know that by using an electric van, we were not only helping to tackle food poverty but also reducing our environmental impact.

This experience was a powerful reminder of how small acts—like donating a tin of soup or a packet of pasta—can make a big difference. Volunteering also opened our eyes to the sheer logistics involved in ensuring vulnerable people have access to nutritious food.

FareShare Sussex & Surrey’s work is a lifeline for so many, Josh and I left with a renewed sense of purpose, a little more tired than when we started, but with full hearts knowing we’d contributed to a cause that truly matters.

*Stats from faresharesussexandsurrey.org.uk