Monday 28th August 2023
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Report written by Madhan
This is my first visit to Felix Project on their new site in Origin Business Park. They shifted to the new site last week. So most of the things were not set up and in packs. The kitchen was one of them.
As it was a new site, I was given an induction by the staff member. The current warehouse was used by Ocado. So I could see a lot of signs saying "Felix personnel only. Not for Ocado".
The warehouse is enormous but it definitely needs some acoustic treatment as every drop makes quite a lot of noise. The cooler was set up right in the middle of the warehouse. It felt like an alien contamination room from the movies. 5/6 shipping containers are welded together to make this cooler.
Usually, the sorting will happen on the outside, and only the foods stored inside the cooler. But in the new site, the sorting occurs inside the cooler as well. So I had to prepare myself to stay inside a Fridge for 4 hours. I put on some thick jackets and gloves.
If you think the outside warehouse is noisy, then the cooler is even loud. It's impossible to have a conversation inside the cooler when sorting the food. Hopefully, the sorting will move outside once all the things are set up. After an hour of sorting my fingers became numb from the cold, so I took a break and warmed myself with a cup of tea.
When we are not sorting, we are splitting the crates and layering them with newspapers. I was sorting till 11:30 and decided to leave the cooler and do something on the outside.
For the final hour, I paired up with two more volunteers to sort potatoes, jumbo courgettes, and broccoli in pallets. I finished my 4-hour shift with another cup of tea.
The Felix Project collects fresh, nutritious food that cannot be sold. We deliver this surplus food to charities and schools so they can provide healthy meals and help the most vulnerable in our society.
See moreMon 28th Aug 2023 at 10:25pm
It sounds like a very "cool" experience, Madhan!
Ealing
Help make surplus food available to anyone and everyone from the local area