Connecting communities through food - The Bread and Butter Impact 2024

17 Feb

Welcome to our Social Impact Report 2024! Every year, we take a moment to reflect and listen closely to the voices of our members. We ask them about their lives, their challenges, and how we can help make things better. This year, we were blown away by the response, with nearly 10,000 members sharing their stories with us.

These insights are incredibly valuable. They help us understand the true state of the nation and give us the information we need to push for meaningful change with decision-makers at every level. Measuring our impact isn’t just about celebrating what we’ve done, though. It’s about understanding where we can do better and how we can do more to support our members.

The big numbers bit

We’re lucky to partner with British high street retailers, manufacturers, farmers, and growers. With their help, last year we saved 9,005 tonnes of surplus stock—that’s about 21.4 million meals and a whopping 22.5 million tonnes of CO2 saved.

Because we work the way we do, the food changes every week, meaning there’s always something new, weird, or wonderful to try. In fact, 82% of our members have tried new foods since joining, and 71% are now cooking more meals at home than before. Talk about a win-win! Plus fresh fruit and veg make up almost half of what’s on offer, so there’s always plenty of goodness to go around.

Health is wealth

We’ve worked hard to become a part of the communities we support. It’s no secret that eating well can have a huge impact on your health—and we’ve got the numbers to prove it. Four out of five Bread and Butter members say we help them get better food than they could otherwise afford. Nearly half (47%) report an improved diet since joining, with 79% eating more fruit and vegetables. And 73% say they’re skipping meals less often than they used to. Now, go ahead and read that again. Pretty amazing, right?

More than just food

Our hubs aren’t just about providing affordable food—they’ve grown into something much more over the years. For many of the communities we support, feelings of isolation are all too common. That’s why over half of our hubs now offer The Big Brew Time, a cosy space where people can come together, have a chat, and enjoy a cup of tea. In the last year alone, we’ve served up 52,000 hot drinks as part of our mission to help reduce social isolation.

And the results speak for themselves: 72% of our members now feel more connected to their community and 64% feel less alone. Volunteering is a huge part of this sense of belonging. Last year, our incredible volunteers gave us 161,000 hours of their time. They’re the heart and soul of our hubs and redistribution centres in places like Peterborough, County Durham; Stoke-on-Trent; and Manchester.

Strengthening communities

Our hubs have become the perfect space for other like-minded services to reach out and connect with those that feel hidden from view. In the past 12 months we brought in 214 carefully selected people-first organisations that advise our members on topics such as energy saving, debt management, housing and digital guidance. The halo effect of Bread and Butter and our additional services is immeasurable. And their community strengthens even further.

“It's helped us not worry as much about money and has made it more affordable to make a full week of meals . We have plenty of opportunities to make different meals by using The Bread and Butter Thing. We're now getting opportunities to try stuff we wouldn't normally be able to try. I found out about the service from a voucher we were giving from our local family centre worker...it’s great to never feel judged and so supported, what a great community.”

Cowlersley Member