Gleaning in the UK

I am currently documenting the issue of food waste within the UK – focusing on the solutions to the route causes of so much of our food being wasted.

I was invited by Martin at the The Gleaning Network to come along to one of their gleaning sessions at a farm near Canterbury, Kent. On this occasion pears and apples were being gleaned, but the farmer informed us that half his crop of cherries were being left to rot, along with an entire crop of plums – all due to them not meeting supermarket (cosmetic) standards.

The level of food waste at a farm level is astonishing, and completely illogical – especially when so many people are suffering from food insecurity in the UK, and food poverty and starvation around the globe.

This video brings together some of the images from the day, including portraits and introductions to some of the gleaners.

You can explore more of the work I have produced during this project so far at foodiswasted.com

And you can volunteer with The Gleaning Network here – feedbackglobal.org/campaigns/gleaning-network/