Our community is powered by people who show up, roll up their sleeves, and make good things happen. This week, we are looking back at the sheer scale of what our volunteer teams have achieved across all our services, and the newly updated numbers on our website are nothing short of breath-taking.
From cooking hot meals to packing crisis support boxes, every single digit represents a moment of connection, care, and massive environmental action right here in the Pewsey Vale and Marlborough regions.
The Massive Impact of Food Rescue
Through early mornings, late-night collections, and relentless sorting, our volunteer network has officially hit a monumental milestone. We have saved 3,995 trays of surplus food from going to waste.
Pulling nearly 80 tonnes of food back into our local community makes a serious, measurable environmental difference:
- 160 Tonnes of CO2e Prevented: By keeping this surplus out of landfill, our team has stopped a massive amount of greenhouse gas emissions from entering the atmosphere.
- 94 Cars Off the Road: To put that carbon saving into perspective, it is the environmental equivalent of taking 94 average UK cars off our local roads for an entire year.
Our Growing Impact at a Glance
Our work reaches far beyond the food recovery scales. Our newly updated community stats reveal just how deep our grassroots network runs:
| Community Service Area | Total Impact Reached |
|---|---|
| Feeding The Thousands | 3,684 people helped to fight food poverty in Wiltshire |
| Freshly Cooked Meals | 9,465 meals cooked and delivered to our most vulnerable neighbours |
| BURP Box Distribution | 1,259 food and household supply parcels hand-packed and distributed to those suffering from financial hardship. |
| Friendship Cafés & Community Markets | 310 events held to alleviate loneliness and social isolation |
| Overcoming Isolation | 8,823 times people have come out of isolation by joining us for a cuppa, cake and a chat. |
Every collection from our partners, every sorted crate, and every friendly chat over a cup of tea has directly contributed to these milestones. Since 2020, 337 volunteers have taken action with PCA, with 51 active volunteers currently moving us forward week in, week out. It is a powerful reminder of what a community can do when we work together.
On the Move: An Update From the Bus!
Speaking of incredible volunteer effort, the team has been working exceptionally hard on our community double-decker bus, our upcoming mobile hub. If you have spotted her recently, you might notice she is looking much sharper after our recent painting session.
Downstairs, the full kitchen and food storage area are complete, including the serving hatch. Upstairs, we are making great progress preparing the space for a welcoming café area, a community space for friendship chats, and our small administration office.
As we look toward the next technical phases, including the solar power array installation, a diesel heater system, and the remaining upstairs carpentry, we need to keep expanding our crew.
Keep the Momentum Going
We are always looking for passionate people to join our network. We need hands for all of our services, not just our food rescue operations or the BURP team. Whether you want to help out with admin, pack bags, or get stuck into the final stages of the bus project, there is a place for you here.
Right now, our bus project is explicitly looking for:
- Volunteer Carpenters: To help craft the upstairs tables, desks and serving bay.
- Bus Drivers: To help us get this mobile hub out into our rural areas later this year.
If you are visiting our sessions, please remember to bring your own bags, and never hesitate to ask a volunteer if you need assistance.
To see how you can get involved or support our ongoing work, visit OURPCA.uk
