King Charles celebrates milestone birthday with visit to Coronation Food Hub
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King Charles marked his 76th birthday by visiting a food charity initiative focused on combating food poverty.
When the king arrived at Deptford Trading Estate in south London on Thursday, he seemed cheerful as he launched the first Coronation Food Hub on the premises and virtually opened another one in Knowsley, Merseyside.
Volunteers from the Felix Project, responsible for overseeing the Deptford hub, excitedly cheered and waved flags as the King emerged from his Bentley. London’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, welcomed him, and students from Peckham’s Rye Oak Primary School handed him a handmade birthday card while singing “Happy Birthday.”
Spending some time with the kids who will gain from the hub, Charles engaged them in a conversation about their favorite meals and lunch options at school. When asked if he planned to take it easy on his birthday, he humorously responded, "Not really."
Members of the royal family celebrated the King's birthday by paying public respects. The Prince and Princess of Wales posted a photo of a laid-back Charles, sporting sunglasses and a floral garland from his recent visit to Samoa.
The official social media accounts of the monarchy shared birthday greetings, accompanied by a formal photo of the King taken in the White Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace.
Despite the challenges of the year, including cancer diagnoses for both him and the Princess of Wales, Charles approached the day as if it were any normal workday, prioritizing his royal responsibilities.
His visit marked one year since the launch of the Coronation Food Project, which was started on his birthday last year to combat food shortages and reduce waste in light of increasing living expenses.
Since it began, the project has saved around 940 tons of excess food, which is enough for more than two million meals, and has gathered over £15 million. This money is designated to help create up to ten Coronation Food Hubs across the country, forming a network aimed at reducing food poverty in the UK.
The Coronation Food Project, which the King introduced last year, seeks to address the disparity between food waste and the need for food throughout the UK. Its goals include enhancing the rescue of surplus food, improving distribution networks, and creating a flexible funding initiative for the broader sector.
A recent update reveals that the initiative has achieved "notable and concrete advancements" in reaching its objectives, collaborating with partner organizations The Felix Project and FareShare.
The Felix Project was established by independent shareholder Justin Byam Shaw in honor of his son Felix, who tragically died from meningitis at the age of 14. The organization focuses on collecting surplus fresh food from supermarkets and restaurants and redistributing it to charities that combat food poverty.
Since it started in 2016 with only two delivery vans, it has grown into the biggest food redistribution charity in London, providing enough food for tens of millions of meals each year.
It was also chosen as a recipient of The Independent's 2022 On The Breadline Christmas campaign, receiving financial support from the King to provide refrigeration units to numerous food charities throughout London.
Previously, The Independent and The Evening Standard collaborated with The Felix Project on the Help the Hungry campaign, which successfully gathered more than £10 million to assist the country's most at-risk individuals during the pandemic.
