Apex driver Edgar Jackson helped facilitate the food distribution. He is pictured with Alison Wallace from the Waterside Neighbourhood Partnership

Apex help facilitate food redistribution

4 September 2020 by Alison McKenna

Last week marked the end of the Food Delivery Service that saw over 32 tonnes of food distributed across Derry~Londonderry over recent months.

This service was delivered thanks to a partnership between Apex Housing Association and Fareshare.

The scheme, which commenced at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, saw food delivered to community groups in four city districts (DEAs), twice a week by Apex driver Edgar Jackson.

This service saw surplus food re-distributed to people who needed assistance accessing food during the pandemic. Apex was delighted to play a part in the project that demonstrated the community spirit and the benefits of collaboration.

Apex Director of Housing, Donna Matthewson congratulated all who had taken part in the scheme:

This service is a great example of excellent collaborative working, bringing together Apex Housing Association, Fareshare and our four invaluable community groups. This ultimately benefitted some of our most vulnerable residents through this Coronavirus pandemic.

I am proud of the dedication and commitment shown from everyone involved to make this a real community effort and to ensure the delivery of much needed and essential food parcels throughout our communities at this unprecedented time.”

Wendy Gibbons from the Outer West Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership one of the participating community groups went on:

The Fareshare food deliveries assisted our community, staff and volunteers in the Foyleside DEA to provide support to local families, vulnerable individuals, young people and elderly members of the community by subsidising the DfC Foodbox Scheme with a range of fresh food weekly.

It also supported fresh supplies to the local soup kitchen and ‘meals on wheels’ facilities in the area to provide hot meals to our residents most in need. This has been a genuine, grassroots community response from everyone involved.”