A food distribution charity with a combined income of more than £36m a year has formally launched following the merger of Fareshare and the Felix Project.

The new organisation is called Felix, in a move that will enable the two organisations to “rescue and redistribute more food and invest it in communities across the whole of the UK”, it said in a statement.

Under the Felix name the relaunched charity has seven depots, in London, Liverpool, Ipswich and Southampton, works with 16 independent network partners who manage a further 28 depots across the UK.

In total it provides food to 1.5m people a year through more than 8,200 charities and other organisations.

The Felix Project was started a decade ago in memory of 14-year-old Felix Byram Shaw, who passed away suddenly in 2014 from meningitis, by his parents Justin and Jane. Since then, it became London’s largest food redistribution charity.

“I am so proud of how the charity has grown and the legacy we have created,” said Justin Byam Shaw.

“This next chapter will make us a charity of critical national importance in challenging times and the Felix name will stand for our and his values of care, helpfulness and kindness across the UK.

“Merging with FareShare and combining our strengths and resources means we will now efficiently and reliably rescue more surplus food from every part of the food sector and use it for good, instead of seeing it going to waste.”

Meanwhile, Fareshare was launched in 1994 by Sainsbury’s and Crisis to provide food to homeless shelters. It has a national reach and also involves partnerships with Tesco and Asda, among other supermarkets.

Declining income at Fareshare

According to the latest financial records filed with the Charity Commission, Fareshare’s income has plummeted over the last five years, from £72.07m in the 12 months to March 2021, to £20.77m in the financial year to March 2025.

Also, over the last three years Fareshare’s spending has outstripped its income by a total of £15.01m.

While a smaller organisation, the Felix Project’s income has doubled over the last three years, according to its latest accounts. In the 12 months to December 2024 its income was £15.87m. Its spending only outstripped its income for one year over the last five, in the 12 months to December 2022.

According to latest Charity Commission published staffing figures for Fareshare and The Felix Project the newly launched charity has a total staff number of 447 and is supported by more than 37,700 volunteers.

Felix is led by chief executive Charlotte Hill, who had held the same role at the Felix Project since 2022.

“Separately both charities achieved amazing things but united we are stronger and have a much more powerful voice,” she said.

---