Daniel Zeichner MP was the keynote speaker at the launch of the Cambridge University Foodbank Society.

Cambridge University Foodbank Society are a newly-formed Cambridge University student group whose membership has grown to over 300 since the beginning of the year.

The society aim to combat food waste across the university and help tackle food poverty in Cambridge. Sadly, in 2015 over 5000 people required assistance from the Cambridge foodbank.

The society have already placed boxes to collect donations of tinned food in nine colleges and will be putting pressure on colleges to give more of the food left over from formals and May Balls to local charities. 

Future plans include launching a sticker campaign within colleges so students can put a “take me” sticker on food they’ve bought but don’t plan to eat so that other students in that kitchen or staircase can make use of them.

Daniel Zeichner MP said:

“It’s great to meet students with a passion for social justice.

“I am keen to get behind initiatives to tackle the huge quantities of edible food thrown in the bin every day.

“Seeing good food go to waste is a scandal. The emissions associated with food production are contributing more to climate change than all forms of transport combined. Meanwhile even in a prosperous city like Cambridge there are households reliant on foodbanks.

Well done to the Cambridge University Foodbank Society for coming together to help solve this problem.”