Free fresh food and vegetables will be available to families across Waltham Forest every month thanks to a new partnership between charitable social enterprise GLL and The Felix Project, London’s largest food redistribution charity.  
The initiative, called Felix Fresh, was launched at Walthamstow Leisure Centre at an event on January 27 and aims to make good food more accessible while reducing waste.  

During the event, four tonnes of food – including fresh fruit, vegetables and Hello Fresh parcels - were distributed to 250 households thanks to the efforts of 11 staff and volunteers from The Felix Project and GLL.  

The initiative had a lot of community support from networks through the Queens Road Family Hub, local schools, and faith groups in the area.  

Daniel Bank, Community Sport Manager for GLL in Waltham Forest says, “Felix Fresh is about more than food, it’s about community, and by working together we can make a real difference to local families who need support. The positive atmosphere throughout the day reinforced Walthamstow Leisure Centre as a hub for health and well-being.” 

This partnership aligns with local authorities' strategy Building a Fairer and Healthier Waltham Forest strategy which aims to improve access to nutritious food and promote wellbeing.  

Waltham Forest Councillor Kizzy Gardiner says: "This is a great example of local organisations working together to support residents in a practical way. Huge thanks to The Felix Project and GLL for making it happen." 

Felix Fresh Co-Ordinator, Daniel Hobson, says: "Felix Fresh markets are free food events where everyone from the community is invited to come and grab fresh fruit and veg that would have otherwise gone to waste. The event at Walthamstow Leisure Centre was a great success where we managed to hand out four tonnes of fresh food, from parsnips to bananas. We are looking forward to future events with the Waltham Forest team." 

The next event will be on Tuesday 17 February 12-2pm. Tuesdays are chosen as it is the same time as the Warm Spaces session, which is from 10.30am-1pm and an opportunity to play table tennis or get a hot drink for free.  

The poster for the next market is attached, and the details of future events will be made available on Walthamstow Leisure Centres' website, Instagram, and Facebook channels.