About the role  

As a volunteer Surplus Food Coordinator you’ll work with local supermarkets and independent shops to ensure the weekly FoodCycle session has a regular donation of surplus food. You will be passionate about reducing the amount of food that’s wasted in our society and actively seek out opportunities to raise the profile of issues around food waste and food poverty through representing FoodCycle within the local community. You might also work with local services, grow your Project’s networks, and represent FoodCycle at local food waste events and meetings. 

Responsibilities include: 

• Coordinating a team of volunteer cyclists, and inducting new volunteers, to collect surplus food in your local area. 
• Making sure that local retailers and supermarkets know what kind of surplus food we can collect. 
• Developing good relationships with store managers to ensure a regular food supply to your Project. 
• Encouraging the whole team to have input into growing your Project’s networks within the local community. 
• Communicating with other Surplus Food Coordinators and Cooking Project Leaders to ensure the smooth running of the weekly sessions.  
• You don’t need to have any previous experience – you just need to love food, be happy riding your bike around the city and enjoy motivating people! 

Skills you'll learn  

• Leadership: you’ll coordinate the cycle food collection team and induct new volunteers, ensuring everyone knows their route and how to collect the right foods. 
• Relationship building: you’ll lead on promoting your Project to local retailers and supermarkets, and developing good relationships with store managers to ensure a regular food supply to your Project. 
• Researching information: you’ll find information on places where your Project could collect surplus food and see if there are any other food networks that your Project could be involved with in your area.  
• Networking and public speaking: there will be opportunities for you to represent FoodCycle at supermarkets and events, to let other local organisations know about the great work that your Project does and help grow its reputation and food supply.   

What to expect from FoodCycle  

• Support and advice from your local FoodCycle staff team. 
• Expenses covered in line with our volunteer policy. 
• Accredited Level 2 Food Safety qualification provided by FoodCycle.  
• A variety of other training opportunities provided throughout the year, including first aid. 
• An annual conference to help share knowledge and experience with other volunteers on a national level. 
• The opportunity to take on additional tasks/responsibilities within your Project Leader team. 
• Impressive skills to add to your CV and a reference if/when you need it. 
• The opportunity to meet a large network of like-minded people. 
• A fun, creative volunteer experience with ownership over a community-led Project. 

What’s expected from me  

We hope that Project Leaders stay with us for a minimum of 6 months, to enable them to get the most out of the role. As Surplus Food Coordinator, you will be expected to:  

• Attend regular Project Leader meetings to discuss as a team how things are going. 
• Lead a minimum of one session per month.   
• Follow all FoodCycle policies and procedures, including reporting any accidents and incidents.  
• Complete Level 2 Food Safety, Food Allergens, and safeguarding training. 
• Complete an enhanced DBS check (required for all roles involving ‘regulated activity’). 
• Recognise, respond to, and report any safeguarding issues or concerns. Note: you must not be barred from working with children and adults who may be vulnerable and at risk of abuse or neglect. 
• Complete the session Project report on our website after leading a session.