Having previously received an award in the Canterbury Westpac Champion Business Awards, FoodBank Canterbury (FBC) were further recognised by winning two titles this year. Not only did they win the category for "Community Impact - Business for Good" but they also won the "Supreme Award for Small Enterprises".

FBC is an upper level food rescue charity supplying food to 157 small food banks in the urban and rural areas of Canterbury. They collect from supermarkets where food is about to reach its "best before" date, along with lines of product from food manufacturers such as Fonterra and Watties. This has meant that food destined for a landfill is redirected into much appreciated food supplies for those who need it. When they started five years they handled 100 tonnes in their first full year. Now they do that in a month.

The Rotary partnership with FBC started in 2020 during the Covid 19 lockdown when Belfast Kaiapoi Rotary found Canterbury farmers to supply FBC with vegetables. These vegetables are of a standard just below that required by supermarkets and growers have been happy to provide these at minimal or no cost. From this grew a joint club project where six clubs, Belfast Kaiapoi, Burnside Bishopdale, Christchurch, Lincoln, Papanui and Riccarton, along with a District grant helped FBC purchase two new trucks for transporting food. More recently Belfast Kaiapoi helped with the purchase of a further small truck for vegetable collections and their members drive this on the weekly runs. In addition several clubs now volunteer to assist with rostered packing operations at the FBC headquarters.

Any club looking for an inspiring update on the growth and work of FBC should contact the founder and CEO John Milligan on 022 162 1104 who is happy to address club meetings. John had a stellar business career in the USA where he was a Rotarian and Paul Harris Fellow.