A community interest company called Food in Community, based in Dartington, Devon, has been rescuing surplus food for 14 years and wants to expand its work by partnering with more farmers, volunteers, and businesses. The group estimates that 2.9 million tonnes of edible food are lost or wasted annually on UK farms, according to a 2022 study by the World Wide Fund for Nature and Tesco. Food in Community delivers free boxes of surplus produce to those in need, including a youth group in south Devon that uses the food to teach young people about cooking and nutrition. The group's director values not just the food itself but also the resources and care that go into producing it, and aims to "appreciate every last piece of edible food" grown.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-21,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Food in Community, a Dartington-based organization, has been collecting surplus food from local growers and farmers for 14 years. The group aims to reduce waste and improve access to sustainably produced food by delivering free boxes of produce directly to people's doorsteps. Any leftover food is donated to food banks, community fridges, lunch clubs, and youth groups. According to director Chantelle Norton, an estimated 2.9 million tonnes of edible food is lost or wasted annually on UK farms. Food in Community wants to expand its work by partnering with more farmers, volunteers, and businesses to save even more food.
Written for “Appreciate Every Bite” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article frames the organization's mission as 'making the most of the resources we've got' and 'appreciating every last piece of edible food', which suggests a value placed on environmental stewardship and minimal waste. The quotes from Chantelle Norton and Farmer Lloyd Stone also convey a sense of appreciation for the resourcefulness and care that goes into producing the food, which may be seen as slightly left-leaning in its emphasis on sustainability.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score +0.55 for article 166 · logged 2026-07-31
- Published
An organisation that rescues hundreds of tonnes of surplus food from going to waste wants to expand its work.
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that → publish → work
Food in Community, a Dartington-based community interest company, has been collecting unwanted and extra crops from local growers and farmers for 14 years in a bid to reduce waste and improve access to sustainably produced food.
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Food → base → food
The food is packed into boxes for free doorstep deliveries to people, with any leftover produce given to food banks, community fridges, lunch clubs and youth groups.
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produce → pack → banks
The group, who work mainly in Devon but also send items to Cornwall, said it wanted to work with more farmers, volunteers and business partners in a bid to save more food.
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it → work → food
Chantelle Norton, a director at Food in Community, said research done by World Wide Fund for Nature and Tesco in 2022, external estimated 2.9 million tonnes of edible food is lost or wasted annually every year on UK farms.
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tonnes → say → farms
Norton said: "What's important is making the most of the resources we've got.
"
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we → say → resources
We value not just the food itself and the nutrition it brings, but also the farmer's time, the water that goes into producing that crop and the care everyone puts into it.
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everyone → value → it
"It's important to appreciate every last piece of edible food that is grown."
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that → appreciate → food
Food in Community box manager Sandra Crawford said boxes were given to people who had been referred to the organisation.
She the reason was often because "they're in particular need or having a particularly difficult time".
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they → say → time
Crawford added: "They will be offered a box, usually for a limited period of up to six months, which gets delivered to their doorstep."
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which → add → doorstep
Farmer Lloyd Stone, who supplies Riverford Organic Farmers, has been donating produce to Food in Community from his fields near Ashburton for two years.
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who → supply → years
He said: "It's been a good year for courgettes and some are just too large, they are heading towards marrow size.
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they → say → size
"The cows will eat these, but if some of them can go for human use too then that's great."
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that → eat → use
Totnes Rural Area Youth Engagement (TRAYE) has been getting free fruit and vegetable boxes from Food in Community for the last two years.
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Engagement → get → years
Youth worker Kerry McCain said: "At TRAYE, we provide food for all the young people who come to us - we've got nine youth clubs across south Devon.
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we → say → Devon
Being able to get a free box of locally sourced fruit and vegetables makes a big difference."
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Being → get → difference
She said the food also helped get young people involved in preparing and cooking meals before sitting down to eat together.
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people → say → meals
