Partridges: Turning insights into action on food insecurity
Partridges: Turning insights into action on food insecurity
Business in the Community’s The King’s Seeing is Believing visit to The Felix Project in Poplar, London, in May 2025 brought business leaders closer to the realities of food insecurity in London and the vital role of food redistribution charities.
Partridges was one of the businesses in attendance, and since the visit has strengthened its support for food redistribution through employee volunteering, in-kind donations, and practical community partnership. In doing so, Partridges is showing how a small business can use its people, products, and local relationships to respond to food insecurity and reduce waste.
During the visit, Partridges saw first-hand how surplus food can be rescued from becoming waste and redirected to community organisations supporting people who need it most. That experience helped turn awareness into action, prompting the business to build a more practical partnership with The Felix Project and to involve colleagues directly in the work.
The challenge
Food insecurity remains a pressing challenge for many communities, while good food continues to go to waste. For Partridges, the opportunity was to identify where a retail and hospitality business could make a meaningful contribution: through volunteering, donations, and stronger relationships with community partners.
The action
Inspired by the visit to The Felix Project, Partridges has taken practical steps to support the organisation’s ongoing operations, including food redistribution across London. A cross-functional group of colleagues from Partridges and Shepherd Foods volunteered at The Felix Project’s Acton depot, helping sort surplus food and prepare it for onward distribution to community organisations.
Alongside volunteering, Partridges has contributed in-kind support, including providing jute bags valued at £19,000 in 2025, making food easier to collect and carry for people accessing community food provision. The business has also provided financial support, including £3,000 via the Royal Warrant Holders Association in 2026, and has recorded 77 hours of volunteer time during the year.
The impact
The partnership has delivered both social and environmental value: a reduction in food waste directly lowers carbon impact, while redistribution in communities strengthens resilience and wellbeing. Volunteer support has helped The Felix Project move food through its operations and reach community organisations across London, while donations have supported access to food for people who may otherwise face practical barriers.
This work has also had a positive impact on Partridges’ employees, providing a tangible understanding of the operational care, efficiency, and dignity involved in food redistribution. It has also strengthened employee engagement, reinforced a shared sense of purpose across teams, and shown how community partnerships can connect directly to a business’s core skills and values.
Key learnings
Partridges’ work with The Felix Project underlined the importance of helping businesses see community need first-hand, giving them clear and practical ways to respond. For Partridges, the visit showed that meaningful community action does not need to sit separately from day-to-day business: volunteering, donations, and operational expertise can all be used to support partners more effectively. It also demonstrated that when employees can connect their work to a wider social and environmental purpose, it can strengthen engagement, deepen understanding, and build momentum for longer-term partnerships.
What others can learn
Partridges’ experience demonstrates how seeing community need first-hand can catalyse business action. By connecting volunteering and donations to its core business, the food retailer has created a partnership that feels purposeful for employees and practical for community organisations.
The impactful work that Partridges has undertaken as a result of The King’s Seeing is Believing visit to The Felix Project also shows the value of participating in a programme designed specifically to inspire business leaders to turn insight to action.
Next steps
Organisations looking to support their local communities like Partridges should:
