A Tuesday morning shift at City Harvest was spent helping the rest of the volunteer team to crate up the vegetables that had arrived the previous evening, part of a huge delivery from Amazon in Park Royal.

Donations coming directly from Amazon arrive by lorry and these pallets are forklifted directly from the lorries and into the warehouse, where they are sorted and crated-up for redistribution. Perishable foods are sorted first and earmarked for freezing, chilling or immediate ready-delivery. Packaged or tinned food and drink with a longer shelf get taken off to a separate warehouse at Unit 28. Finally fruit, veg, bread and other fresh food that doesn’t need refrigeration can be sorted.

Diversion came with an opportunity to go out to Amazon with City Harvest driver Gary, to collect more surplus food donated by Amazon. Once Gary had navigated the traffic, Hangar Lane roundabout and the A4 and made his way to the gigantic Park Royal warehouse, he reversed the van close to the doors where 4 blue trollies, loaded with black crates and boxes of food were brought. The selection was impressive including fruit, veg, ready meals, prime meat and fish and even a few boxes of cut flowers.

Gary and I loaded all these into the back of the van, redistributing and re-crating as required, utilising every inch of space. Finally a short drive back to Acton Park where the afternoon volunteer team were all ready to start sorting this new delivery.

Really great to see another element of City Harvest’s Operations and also to get a glimpse of Amazon’s huge depot.

Thanks Gary for the trip and thanks Elon and Amazon for the donations.