This month, Bidfood’s business development team funded the Herts Sports and Physical Activity Partnership’s ‘
Fit, Fed and Read’ programme. The national
foodservice provider supported this initiative to help the partnership in its aim to combat hunger, physical inactivity and social isolation across Hertfordshire. In total, Bidfood helped serve over 1,200 meals to disadvantaged children this summer holiday. The holiday hunger scheme provided activities and nutrition, targeting 8-11 year olds from the most economically disadvantaged backgrounds and families in Hertfordshire. Bidfood worked closely with Hertfordshire Catering Ltd (HCL) to supply all the daily food and hot meals to support this worthy cause. The projects were hosted in fire stations across the country in partnership with the Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, and will focus on healthy eating, physical activity and improved literacy. Speaking about the funding, Andy Kemp, Group Sales and Marketing Director for Bidfood, said: “This partnership is such an important one to Bidfood and we are delighted to be able to support this fantastic initiative, helping to make a difference. “We believe in the importance of increasing awareness not only of the ongoing issues surrounding holiday hunger, but also of the support we can offer our customers with their huge commitments to those less fortunate.” The initiative started off this Easter in Welwyn Garden City and due to its overwhelming success, the programme was expanded to Stevenage, Watford, Hemel Hampstead, Borehamwood, Hatfield and Cheshunt; now running across four weeks in the summer holidays, with the aim to help even more families. Talking about Bidfood’s support, Ian Hamilton, CEO at Hertfordshire Catering Limited said: "On behalf of all the partners involved with the Fit, Fed and Read programme in Hertfordshire, I give all our thanks to Bidfood for the support they have given to this worthwhile project. “Over the course of the 4 weeks we served 1,222 meals to children plus the adults supporting the various sites. None of this would have been possible without the generous contributions of so many parties, so for that we are sincerely grateful."
