Philanthropy

We build long-term relationships with our philanthropic supporters, grounded in openness and shared purpose.

We make sure you can see where your support is going, how it is working, and what it is changing, through a personal relationship, clear reporting, regular insight and opportunities to connect directly with the work on the ground.

Our supporters come from different walks of life some new to giving, others with long-standing philanthropic commitments. What brings them together is a belief that access to healthy, affordable food should not be out of reach, and a desire to back approaches that deliver that in a practical, lasting way.

Why The Bread and Butter Thing

Each year, millions of tonnes of good, nutritious food are lost across farms, manufacturing and retail, while millions of households are managing sustained financial pressure, often just above the threshold of crisis and largely invisible to formal systems.

The Bread and Butter Thing exists to address that structural gap by building a system that connects surplus supply to real, consistent demand in communities. It is not a single intervention or programme. It is an integrated model that operates across the full chain, from acquiring surplus food through to last-mile delivery into neighbourhoods.

That end-to-end control is what makes the model effective. It allows us to take food that others cannot; smaller volumes, short-dated stock, mixed loads and the ability to move it quickly and reliably to where it is needed. It removes friction for suppliers and creates a viable, scalable route for food that would otherwise be diverted into lower-value outcomes within the waste hierarchy.

At the same time, it establishes a consistent, low-cost supply of nutritious food within communities that are experiencing sustained pressure. Members are not engaging with a one-off service, but with a regular, predictable system that allows them to plan, manage and maintain stability over time. This is a fundamentally different proposition to crisis response.

What distinguishes The Bread and Butter Thing further is proximity. Operating weekly, at scale, and in trusted local settings means we are not removed from the reality of how pressure is experienced. We see how households adapt, where strain emerges, and what changes when costs are reduced, even marginally. That insight is not abstract. It is grounded in repeated, direct engagement with tens of thousands of households.

This combination of operational delivery and lived experience creates a feedback loop that is rare. It enables us not only to deliver support, but to understand the system we are operating within, and to contribute credibly to policy and practice. In this sense, the model functions both as infrastructure and as a form of real-time insight into affordability, health and financial resilience.

The impact extends beyond food. Because the model is embedded in community settings, it creates trusted environments where additional support can be accessed more effectively. Partners delivering advice on debt, benefits, energy or health see higher levels of engagement when operating alongside our hubs. This is not incidental. It reflects the role of trust, familiarity and low-stigma access in determining whether support is taken up at all.

From an environmental perspective, the model aligns social and ecological outcomes. Food that would otherwise be lost to animal feed, anaerobic digestion or landfill is redirected to households. Logistics are designed to maximise existing transport flows and minimise additional emissions, ensuring that redistribution operates efficiently at scale.

Importantly, this is not a model reliant on a single funding stream. It combines public investment, member contributions and philanthropic support to create a more resilient financial structure. Local authorities fund initial set-up, members contribute directly to the cost of their food, and philanthropic capital enables growth, system strengthening and the absorption of external cost pressures.

This blended approach reflects the reality of the problem being addressed. Affordability cannot be solved through charitable funding alone, nor through public provision in isolation. It requires models that operate across systems, combining elements of market, state and community.

The Bread and Butter Thing has demonstrated that this is possible. Since 2016, it has grown from a single pilot to a national network, working with major retailers, manufacturers and farmers, and delivering consistently at scale. It operates 52 weeks a year and has maintained continuity of service through periods of significant disruption, including the pandemic.

For philanthropic investors, the opportunity is to support the expansion and strengthening of a model that is already up and running, already delivering, and already influencing how food, affordability and prevention are understood in practice.

This is not about funding an idea. It is about investing in a trusted and proven service that.

makes healthy food more affordable.

reduces waste across the food system.

helps households remain stable before crisis emerges.

brings lived experience into decisions that shape the system itself.

Read our full case for support here.

Philanthropy – Practical information

For significant donations, bank transfer is often the most efficient approach, ensuring your full contribution is directed to the work.
Account name: The Bread and Butter Thing
Sort code: 09 01 29
Account number: 06076294
Bank: Santander Business Banking, Bridle Road, Bootle, L30 4GB
If you would prefer to structure your support differently, we are happy to discuss options.
If you are a UK taxpayer, your gift may be eligible for Gift Aid, increasing its value by 25% at no additional cost to you.
Those paying higher or additional rates of tax may also be able to reclaim further relief through their Self-Assessment.
We would always recommend speaking with your adviser to ensure your giving is structured in the most effective way.
We understand that discretion is important.
Support can be given anonymously if preferred, and we will always respect your wishes in how your involvement is recognised, if at all.
Some supporters choose to include The Bread and Butter Thing in their will.
This allows them to contribute to long-term change helping ensure that affordable, nutritious food remains accessible to communities in the years ahead.
If this is something you are considering, we are happy to provide further information, at your pace.
We can accommodate both unrestricted and more directed support.
Some supporters choose to fund specific areas of the work, while others prefer to invest in the model as a whole, allowing flexibility in how funding is applied.
We are always open to discussing what feels most appropriate.
We take a considered approach to how we engage with our philanthropic supporters.
This is not about volume of communication, but clarity. You will have a clear understanding of how your support is being used, what it is enabling, and how the model is developing over time.
Where appropriate, we also offer opportunities to see the work first-hand and to engage more directly with the organisation.