“Zero waste is the aim”

Incredible Surplus collects surplus food and other materials that would otherwise go to waste, and redistributes them to individuals and community organisations on a “pay-as-you-feel” basis. We met up with Ann Gallagher, the co-director.

Incredible Surplus, previously known as The Real Junk Food Project Birmingham, began in 2014 as a creative response to the surplus produce that would otherwise be thrown away by supermarkets, restaurants and hospitality industries across the West Midlands. They aim to empower and engage people in sharing, growing and making the most of the resources within the community.

They initially ran out of Ladywood Community Centre and had a food boutique and a cafe that served cooked meals from surplus food collected. Early on in the project they provided “Freegan” box deliveries with a £1 delivery charge, when this became unsustainable they continued on a collection basis. During the Covid-19 pandemic they played a big part in the #BrumTogether coalition of voluntary community and faith groups, delivering essential supplies and support where it was needed. Unfortunately the cafes closed over this period. You can currently find Incredible Surplus at their main distribution centre, the “Sharehouse” in Winson Green. They have four other sites where they give out food bags, and a weekly “boutique” at Christchurch Summerfield coffee morning.

The majority of the activity that Incredible Surplus does focuses on decreasing food waste, but also in changing the mindset of people around waste. They grow their own vegetables at their allotments, where they encourage composting through their ‘Compost Culture’ project, collecting food waste, woodchips and anything that can be composted. “I think we should have allotments in every single park. So it normalises growing food,” says Ann.

The food doesn’t come for free, because food is valuable, but it can be bought on a pay-as-you-feel basis. “Everybody is requested to give something, whether time, money or skill to us, or to someone else, now or in the future. And the idea behind that is to engage with people around participation and purpose. Everyone has value, everyone can do something.” Incredible Surplus is the gift economy in practice, and they find that about a quarter of the people that collect food pay in money. This tends to cover the costs for those who can’t afford to give cash and are paying in kind. In this way they are self-sustaining.

Incredible Surplus works with a wide network of groups across the city, collecting and distributing not just food but everyday and household items. The time donated keeps the project running. “I’m the mouthpiece, but I don’t do most of the work. The work is done by hundreds of people.”

One of the biggest challenges Ann faces is how to bring out the best in the team of volunteers donating their time. She has as few rules as possible so that people don’t feel overwhelmed by them, and tries to be clear with signage and guidelines, particularly around safety. She is also careful about giving people jobs that best suit their skills. “You get to know their story, you get to know where they’ve been or what they’ve done and what they might like to do. So that’s what it’s about. It is about growth.”

Ann explains that often volunteers have their own needs and challenges, and are able to find company, support and purpose in the work. Ann has been living with cancer for fifteen years, “I could sit at home and cry all day. But I really don’t want to it’s boring as hell.” She believes that whatever the situation, “you can do something somewhere and you will be benefiting from it.”

What’s Next? “Zero waste is the aim,” Ann says, so they’re constantly thinking about how to make the most of the resources they have, from finding alternatives to plastics, to building on their existing relationships. Ann believes that when people gather it gives space for opportunities to emerge, and that often people will be able to find solutions to their problems together.