Words by Abi Scaife
King Charles III is dedicated to a number of different causes. Smiley News has written about his charity work and passion for the climate before, and now he is stepping up against food waste.
In celebration of his 75th birthday, King Charles is featured on the front cover of The Big Issue magazine - a street paper and social enterprise aimed at helping people who are vulnerable to or experiencing homelessness.
“It’s grand that King Charles has his portrait on the cover of the Big Issue,” said Lord Bird, one of the founders of The Big Issue. “His Majesty has long been a supporter of The Big Issue. He opened London Big Issue offices. During one opening, some 26 years ago, he met one of his old school friends who was then selling The Big Issue.”
“Please do buy a copy from your local vendor or a copy from the Big Issue Shop.”
King Charles also wrote a piece for the magazine, focused on why food waste is such a big problem, and why he is passionate about ending it. He mentioned that he was concerned about “cost of living pressures”, and that people were missing out on nutritious meals, at the same time as huge amounts of food were being wasted.
Together with Baroness Louise Casey, King Charles III officially launched the Coronation Food Project on his 75th birthday, 14th November 2023.
He plans on using the project to rescue surplus food from growers, manufacturers and retailers. This extra food, which would ordinarily be discarded, will be sent to organisations across the country that are best equipped to distribute it to those in need.
We know that King Charles’ is incredibly passionate about the environment, and as well as getting food to the almost 14 million people in the UK experiencing food insecurity, it will prevent the wasting of millions of tonnes of food every year, which has a terrible impact on the environment.
According to WWF, when food is wasted, we have also wasted all the resources that went into producing and transporting it - and as it rots, it goes on to create methane, a greenhouse gas which contributes to heating up our atmosphere.
The Coronation Food Project is coming together with organisations like the Felix Project and Fare Share, connecting them with those in the food industry who often end up with extra and leftover foods. Additionally, the project will include a funding programme to help support those projects in the wider sector that are helping to rescue and redistribute food.
In the Big Issue, King Charles III says; "Food need is as real and urgent a problem as food waste,” he adds. “If a way could be found to bridge the gap between them, then it would address two problems in one.”
The aim of the Coronation Food Project is to combine those two needs and create a practical, sustainable solution to each. With the help of organisations like the Felix Project, the project is helping to connect those in the country that want to make positive changes - and make the United Kingdom a better place, for environment, and its citizens.
Charity check-in
At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.
The Felix Project. They collect fresh, nutritious food that cannot be sold and delivers this surplus food to charities and schools. Support them here.
FareShare. The UK's largest charity fighting hunger and food waste, they save good food from going to waste and redistribute it to frontline charities. Find out more.
The Climate Coalition. This is the UK's largest group of people dedicated to action against climate change. Find out more and support them here.
