The Real Junk Food Project

[TheRealJunkFoodProject]

My name is Adam Smith, I am the creator/founder of a charitable movement called - The Real Junk Food Project - which basically utilises waste food produce to feed those that are food insecure.

I am heading back to Leeds, UK from Australia in November, and I am looking into starting a revolutionary concept restaurant/café that allows people to pay what they feel for the food they receive.

I also plan to start urban guerrilla gardening to supply produce to The Real Junk Food Project, allowing communities, school children and the general public to become involved. I also plan to tackle school meals, hospital food and waste management in restaurants and food outlets.

You can check out our Facebook page at:
http://www.facebook.com/TheRealJunkFoodProject

If anyone would like to become involved or share ideas with me or has any supporting information which you feel may be invaluable, please free to reply or contact me through our Facebook page

Kind regards

Adam Smith
The Real Junk Food Project
"Lets REALLY feed the world"

[TheRealJunkFoodProject]

[manicscousers]

Liked you through facebook, fantastic idea, good luck with it x

[Squash64]

I've liked you on Facebook too. 

[pumkinlover]

Me too!

[gazza1960]

Welcome aboard,any well meant structure that can assist in providing a balanced meal for all at a reasonable price is an excellent idea,and you have my
good wishes with your scheme.

Funnily enough id read your FB page re statins, me being a Type 2 Diabetic currently taking Statins under the nieve illusion that any and all meds
are of benefit to patients with Diabetic issues,but agree with some of the findings that "Bodily aches and pains " can be attributed to Statins but my Diabetic "Medics" only follow the code of practice that allows them to give these meds to me and countless others with the intention of better health
but whereas it seems to undermine both mental and physical wellbeing ""That said",I understand my GP.s position that he is intrusted with the
General Medical Councils directive on what meds if any are of benefit to me........very difficult to know whats best when you are suffering im afraid....I have days when I ache from Tip to Toe but accredit it to age and wear and tear rather than the myriad of "smarties" that my GP offers me.

Gary Mueller (Gazza)

[Squash64]

Gazza,
My husband and his brother are both type 2 diabetic, both were
prescribed statins and both started suffering from quite strong pain
in their legs.  They both stopped taking them, and have not had
the pain since.
I'm not offering advice, just an observation.

[Lishka]

Hello Adam,

You write "I also plan to start urban guerrilla gardening to supply produce to The Real Junk Food Project, allowing communities, school children and the general public to become involved. I also plan to tackle school meals, hospital food and waste management in restaurants and food outlets."

I'd suggest that Good Ole Google might be your best friend here to see the current awareness of these probs. here in the UK and how they're being addressed.....

Off the top of my head (and without myself Googling facts, sorry.)  Communities etc. involvement in bringing waste ground back to productive use =  one concern active here is The Conservation Volunteers but I know that a Search will find others; school children's meals= Jamie Oliver springs immediately to mind; hospital food - can't recall the name but certainly there's a 'Name' chef, ie Michelin starred - took up this mantle; waste management in restaurants/chain stores, ie M&S surplus sandwiches = Food Banks/local lunch clubs/drop-in centres/ homeless shelters etc.etc. are aware and tapping into these sources.

In summary, many UK peeps are already aware of these probs. + the on-going much  wider probs of helping the disadvantaged, whether newly so because of the current recession, or long-term...... In fact it really makes me Really Proud to be British (for once )

In November,  when you return to Leeds, p'raps you'll be able more easily to tap into current thinking/trends here - there is ALWAYS an opening for new thinking & ideas/schemes and just now, with our TV programmes which highlight initiatives throughout the country ( atm I'm thinking the one where a millionaire returns to his/her childhood home to give away £x to the needy of the parrish).

All the very very best to you, and thank you for your post.

Lishka

[gazza1960]

Thank you for the observation Betty,I shant bore anybody with the bodily woes that I think are related to statins but suffice to say......my memory isn't
as it was prior to starting the med and a specific ache has been stated that it relates to statins also.....that said hon.....the up side is that my Cholestorol figures are the best they've been for years so its a balancing act as to whether I stop or carry on........DOH  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gazza

[caroline7758]

As you say you're heading BACK to Leeds, I assume you have contacts in Leeds already. I work for Citizens Advice in Leeds so could certainly spread the word around the third sector or point you towards organisations that might be interested.

[Melbourne12]

My name is Adam Smith, I am the creator/founder of a charitable movement called - The Real Junk Food Project - which basically utilises waste food produce to feed those that are food insecure.

I am heading back to Leeds, UK from Australia in November, and I am looking into starting a revolutionary concept restaurant/café that allows people to pay what they feel for the food they receive.

I also plan to start urban guerrilla gardening to supply produce to The Real Junk Food Project, allowing communities, school children and the general public to become involved. I also plan to tackle school meals, hospital food and waste management in restaurants and food outlets.

You can check out our Facebook page at:
http://www.facebook.com/TheRealJunkFoodProject

If anyone would like to become involved or share ideas with me or has any supporting information which you feel may be invaluable, please free to reply or contact me through our Facebook page

Kind regards

Adam Smith
The Real Junk Food Project
"Lets REALLY feed the world"

Sorry to sound a wee note of discord, but I'm deeply sceptical about this initiative, well-meant though it may be.

When I look at your facebook page, I see a bunch of links to political websites and blogs, and links to nutritionists' sites full of fake science.  I don't see any business model, nor any plan about how you're actually going to deliver desperately needed nutrition to hungry people.  Nor any discussion about how much you're going to need in the way of money to do it.

If it costs you more than a pound to save a pound's worth of food going to waste, you'd be better off giving the money that you raise directly to the poor so that they can buy food for themselves.

As Lishka has said, there are many initiative and projects already on the go in the UK and worldwide.  If you want to cut down on food waste, you might be better advised simply to focus on educating people to eat Class II fruit and veg rather than insisting on cosmetic perfection.

I'd be delighted to be proved wrong, so good luck and all that.