In April, we celebrated a historical milestone with the launch of our FareChance employability programme and the official opening of our Vale Lane warehouse!
The day was a celebration of community spirit and highlighted our commitment to fostering a brighter future for Bristol’s young people.
Our fantastic team kicked the day off by transforming Vale Lane into a vibrant hub; balloons, bunting and boisterous energy filled every corner of the warehouse.
We were joined by some of the many people who have made this work possible through essential funding, including Anne Nisbet from the Nisbet Trust and Charlie Young from Rathbone Greenbank, and local partners like Bristol Museums who are helping provide further opportunities for the young participants.
Vale Lane Phase 2
Last summer, we completed phase 2 of our Vale Lane warehouse. We almost doubled the useable space – a much needed extension of our operations to better meet the needs of our community. We’ve got a new chiller, meaning we’ve been able to introduce frozen foods into our deliveries, making sure that even less surplus food goes to landfill.
And we finally have a proper office for our team to work from and a lovely kitchenette for everyone to enjoy!
Special shout outs
The highlight of the event was this fantastic video created by our very first FareChance intern, Laurel. He did an amazing job at capturing the essence of our programme and showcasing the stories from our previous cohort.
A huge thank you to one of our member charities, Coexist Community Kitchen, for turning our surplus food into a delicious spread of cakes. And to our team for braving the BBQ, making sure everyone enjoyed a good feast!
And a very special shout out goes to Tasha Park, for capturing the special moments throughout the event. Tasha is a fabulous warehouse assistant volunteer of ours, and is also a very talented photographer.
What is FareChance?
FareChance is FareShare South West’s unique employability programme for people aged 18-25 years old. It’s a chance for young people to gain meaningful work experience, learn practical warehouse skills and build self-esteem to embrace their full potential.
What makes our employability programme different from others is that it is designed by young people, for young people.
“Thank you so much. I really enjoyed it today and it made me feel good. I feel proud of myself and I’m looking forward to the next step.”
Laura, one of the participants from our previous cohort.
Cohort Four has just embarked on their 10-week programme, and we wish everyone the best of luck on their FareChance journey!
The FareChance employability programme has been made possible by financial support including from the Nisbet Trust, the National Lottery Community Fund, Rathbone Greenbank and other generous funders.
If you’re interested, or know someone who is interested in joining our FareChance employability programme, please send us a referral.
What it’s like to volunteer with FareShare South West?
Volunteer Sid tells us about his first warehouse shift.
Providing affordable, nutritious food for south Bristol.
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