Members and volunteers across Cheshire East have marked a decade of The Bread and Butter Thing, celebrating the community food charity’s 10th anniversary.
Food clubs in Alsager, Broken Cross, Longridge and Underwood West joined celebrations during the week of 7 September, bringing members and volunteers together for birthday cake, a brew and an opportunity to reflect on the communities built around the weekly hubs.
The Cheshire East celebrations form part of more than 160 taking place across England to mark 10 years of The Bread and Butter Thing.
For the local hubs, the anniversary also highlights the role the food clubs have come to play beyond providing affordable food, creating regular spaces where neighbours can meet, volunteer, exchange recipes and find support.
From One Van to 160 Communities
The Bread and Butter Thing began 10 years ago with a single hired van delivering surplus food to a community centre in Moss Side, Manchester.
Today, it has grown into the UK’s largest member-based food redistribution charity, supporting more than 100,000 households through weekly hubs in more than 160 communities across England.
In Cheshire East, the food clubs provide families and individuals with access to fresh, nutritious food at a lower cost. Members can receive three bags containing fresh fruit and vegetables, chilled products and cupboard staples from £8.50.
For many of those attending, however, the weekly hubs have also become an important part of community life.
One local member said:
“I have definitely felt like part of the community more so than before. I have made a few friends which has been really nice to see friendly faces every week.”
‘People Know They Can Rely on Us’
Vic Harper, Chief Executive of The Bread and Butter Thing, said:
“Every hub has its own story, but together they’ve created something extraordinary. Over the past ten years we’ve unlocked the equivalent of 70 million meals, we’ve never moved out of a community and we’ve never missed a delivery.
“Those milestones matter because they represent something bigger – people knowing they can rely on us, week after week. That’s only possible because of the incredible members, volunteers and partners who make the Cheshire East hubs such an important part of their community.”
Founder Mark Game reflected on how the organisation has developed from its beginnings in Manchester.
“It started with just me, a hire van and one community, testing and refining the idea week by week. But it only worked because of the huge support of brilliant people who understood communities far better than I did and who helped shape the model into something practical, trusted and useful.
“To now see The Bread and Butter Thing turning ten, supporting over 100,000 members and becoming part of people’s everyday lives, their bread and butter, is something I am incredibly proud of.
“The heart of the idea has never changed: create a model that works in the real world, for real people, week after week.”
The anniversary celebrations in Cheshire East will take place during the week of 7 September, recognising both the charity’s national growth and the volunteers, members and communities behind its local hubs.
