SEK Wins DEFRA Grant to Tackle Farm Food Waste and Feed Kent Communities
Surplus - Kent Farms - Rescue
Social Enterprise Kent
Receives a portion of the DEFRA £13.6 million to help families and charities reap benefits of surplus farm produce
• New funding will unlock tonnes of surplus farm produce for redistribution across Kent and Medway
• Cold storage and new gleaning programme for Kent, to connect more farmers with local food charities
• CEO Rebecca Smith: “A lifeline at a time when so many are choosing between heating and eating”
Social Enterprise Kent (SEK) is delighted to have been awarded a Grant by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), to rescue surplus produce from local farms and ensure it reaches families experiencing food insecurity.
The grant, part of the Government’s “Tackling Food Surplus at the Farm Gate” scheme, will enable SEK to launch a new redistribution programme focused on unlocking the environmental and social value of surplus vegetables, fruits, and greens grown in Kent. Through investment in an electric van, walk-in cold storage, and, through liaison with local farmers and existing gleaning projects, SEK aims to enhance local infrastructure to collect and redistribute an estimated 50 tonnes of fresh food by March 2026, with a view to sustainability long beyond that date.
Rebecca Smith, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise Kent, said:
“This funding is a lifeline at a time when so many in our communities are choosing between paying the bills and feeding their family. It allows us to build new partnerships with farmers, train volunteers, and create the infrastructure we need to prevent edible produce from going to waste. Every cabbage, carrot or tray of strawberries we save will be used to support those in need to access nutritious food through our SE Kitchen social supermarkets and the wider food support network in the area. We are delighted to be able to work with the farming community to develop this project and build partnerships and to connect surplus with people, not waste, and offer relief to families struggling with rising costs.”
What is Gleaning? Gleaning is the age-old practice of collecting surplus crops from farms that would otherwise go to waste. This could be fruit left on trees, vegetables not considered "perfect" enough for supermarkets or produce that's simply surplus to market demand.
Why It Matters Every year, thousands of tonnes of good, edible food are left in fields across the UK. Gleaning helps rescue this food and get it to people who need it most. By volunteering your time, you're helping to reduce food waste and feed communities experiencing food insecurity.
The project will formalise surplus collection from at least 20 local farms, it aims to help expand existing gleaning volunteer programmes and integrate produce into their SE Kitchen sites in Ramsgate and Ashford. It builds on SEK’s strong track record for sustainable community impact, including redistributing nearly 71 tonnes of surplus food in 2024, equivalent to over 169,000 meals, via SE Kitchen in Ramsgate.
As part of the initiative, SEK will work with Kent and Medway farmers and gleaners, to seek new opportunities/area for engagement, and help develop robust and future-proof working procedures, for the benefit of all involved in these systems, at present or in the future. Another key aim is to produce environmental impact data, to demonstrate the benefits of surplus redistribution over less sustainable alternatives such as animal feed or anaerobic digestion.
SEK is keen to collaborate with local producers and established gleaning projects, plus any businesses, professionals and volunteers across the county, with an interest in redirecting food surplus and making a real difference – form field to fork. Please contact Natasha n.harf@sekgroup.org.uk if you are interested in collaborating.
This local scheme contributes to national efforts to reduce waste, cut emissions, and support a circular food economy which are key priorities of the UK’s Environmental Improvement Plan and Circular Economy Taskforce.
