Experienced industry figure takes over at a time of rising need for food banks
Sarah Calcutt has been appointed chief exceutive at food redistribution charity City Harvest.
Calcutt will work closely with City Harvest founders Laura and Steve Winningham in her new role to maximise growth and impact of the City Harvest mission in London and beyond. The company collects nutritious surplus food from manufacturers, suppliers and retailers, and delivers, for free, to over 375 London charities feeding those facing food poverty.
Her brief is to lead the team, board and City Harvest Food Council to increase the amount of free nourishing meals distributed to those unable to afford to eat. She is already a member of the Food Council and ambassador for the charity.
Calcutt, part of the sixth generation of her family involved in food and farming, is highly experienced in the fresh produce and wider food industry. The chair of the National Food Show is also a non-executive director at Covent Garden Market Authority and Outfield Technologies, and vice chair of the Rural Policy Group.
In 2008, she received her Nuffield scholarship to report on “effective strategies for fruit marketing”, and she has also worked in industry as general manager at Avalon Growers and operations director at English Apples & Pears, among other roles.
“I feel honoured to lead this important organisation,” Calcutt said. “From my work on the City Harvest Food Council I understand the importance of our mission and our need to grow. The City Harvest mission has never been more important. At a time when CAB reports that they are referring 750 people a day in London to food banks, City Harvest is needed more than ever.
”Our team will work even harder to ensure schoolchildren thrive, not just survive, and the hundreds of thousands unable to afford or access nutritious food, are fed.”
