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Thu, 09 Apr 2026

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 The food waste 'saints' feeding city's children

Janet Leng and Marian Hodgson volunteer at I Am Reusable food bank and redistribute food to schools.

* Janet Leng (75) and Marian Hodgson (39) have helped feed "tens of thousands" of children through their work with I Am Reusable food bank in York.
* They partner with local schools, including those with high numbers of pupils eligible for free meals, to redistribute surplus food that would otherwise go to waste.
* The pair regularly collect food from businesses, including shops, restaurants, and train operators, which is then split between the food bank and schools.
* Longer-life products are used to stock school community cupboards, while food donated to schools is served at breakfast clubs or as an additional supplement to meals.
* One of the schools they work with, York High, has praised their efforts, calling Leng a "living saint" who has fed many vulnerable young people.