Food For Nought
1710. Cocoa Fowler
Cocoa Fowler, from Peterborough, is a formerly homeless veteran who has given support to over 1,500 families in the city every week during the pandemic with deliveries of leftover food through his charity ‘Food for Nought.’
Cocoa served with the Royal Artillery for 15 years, including a tour of Iraq, and after leaving the army established a business overseas and volunteered in Sri Lanka in 2005 to support the tsunami relief effort. On his return to the UK, Cocoa struggled with mental and physical health, losing his job and becoming homeless, but after approaching a charity for support in accessing food, he discovered a new focus and drive to create his own charitable initiative that could donate food to people in need. Set up in 2017, ‘Food For Nought’ has delivered more than 2,600 tonnes of surplus food from local farmers and supermarkets to food banks and community fridges in Peterborough, with its work becoming even more vital throughout the pandemic and lockdown restrictions for vulnerable families and isolated individuals.
In a personal letter to Cocoa, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:
“I am lost in admiration for the sheer scale of your work at ‘Food for Nought’. You have supported a staggering 1,500 families each week and distributed 1,700 tonnes of surplus food. This has been more vital than ever over the last eighteen months when families have faced the challenges of lockdown.”
Paul Bristow, MP for Peterborough, said:
“I was able to see first-hand some of the work that Food for Nought does when I joined Cocoa Fowler and his incredible team earlier in the year.
“The support that Food for Nought has offered families in Peterborough is incredibly impressive and valuable. As well as ensuring excess food from supermarkets is not wasted, the support they give to parents and children with ADHD and autism is very impressive.
“They are so well deserving of a Points of Light Award and make me Proud of Peterborough.”
In response to receiving the award, Cocoa said:
“I am delighted and humbled to be recognised as the UK’s 1710th Point of Light award winner. I would like to express my sincere thanks to Food for Nought’s trustees for their support and hard work.”
Pictured below: Paul Bristow MP (left) with Cocoa Fowler