The shops, run by Middlesbrough Environment City (MEC) in partnership with FareShare North East, are based across Teesside and make surplus food both accessible and affordable for residents.
Samia Sadiq, project manager for health, wellbeing and inclusion at MEC, said: “This fantastic event celebrates the crucial role food partnerships across the UK play in helping ensure good quality, nutritious food is made available and affordable to our communities.
“Food insecurity is one of the most pressing issues of our time and food partnerships are at the frontline of helping to tackle this growing problem.”
MEC recently attended the Sustainable Food Places Day of Celebration & Action at Portcullis House in Westminster, London, on November 5.
The event brought together more than 123 food partnerships, MPs and policymakers to highlight the impact of food partnerships in securing investment for improved local food systems and addressing issues such as food insecurity and supply chain fairness.
MEC represented the Good Food Middlesbrough Partnership at the event, which aims to make Middlesbrough a place where everyone can access affordable, good-quality food.
The partnership connects local authorities, community groups, farmers, businesses and residents to deliver projects that improve access to healthy food, strengthen supply chains and promote a positive food culture.
MEC’s wider work spans the Tees Valley and includes sustainable food workshops, affordable warmth services, and support for low-carbon living.
The eco shops are a key part of their food security efforts, reducing waste and improving food access for vulnerable households.
The scale of the need is highlighted by findings from the Trussell Trust’s Hunger in the UK report.
The report states that more than 14.1 million people in the UK faced hunger in the past year, with one in six households experiencing food insecurity in 2024.
In the North East, 23 per cent of households struggle to access enough good-quality food.
MEC believes that collaborative, locally led solutions are essential to building long-term resilience and healthier, more sustainable communities.
The organisation also delivers sustainable food education in schools, supports active travel programmes, and promotes low-carbon living as part of its broader mission to reduce poverty in its many forms.
The Good Food Middlesbrough Partnership serves as a central hub for all food-related issues in the town.
Middlesbrough Environment City is an independent charity established in 1992 with a vision for a ‘thriving, sustainable and equitable’ Tees Valley.
