AB AGRI employees have completed a 5,000-mile ‘chicken run’ to deliver 5,000 chickens to food charity FareShare.
Staff at the feed compounder took up the challenge of and either walked, ran or even hopped a combined total of 5,000 miles.
See also: How the poultry industry has helped during the coronavirus crisis
Upon completion of the challenge, AB Agri donated 5,000 whole birds supplied by both 2 Sisters Food Group and Chesterfield Poultry.
Chesterfield Poultry contributed a further 2,000 chickens to the charitable effort.
Challenge
Spurred on by this success, the next challenge for staff was to drink 10,000l of water, with ABN then donating the equivalent in fresh milk to the charity.
In late April, charity FareShare told Poultry.Network of the challenges it had faced as lockdown disrupted people’s lives and ability to feed their families.
It said the poultry sector had increased its donations by fourfold over the six weeks prior; enough chicken to make 250,000 meals.
Industry support
Simon Heath, managing director of AB Agri’s compound feed business, said: “As the effects of COVID-19 continue to impact on all aspects of daily life, not least to the British farming sector, this is part of our effort to support our industry and help provide a nutritious, home-grown product to those who need it most.
“We are looking forward to continuing to develop ideas to support our industry and FareShare over the forthcoming months and developing a longer-term partnership.
“With that in mind, we are now launching our third initiative and this time we are asking for help not only from our colleagues but from our customers and the wider industry too.
“Stoke up the BBQs, we’re looking for a combined effort of eating 20,000 sausages, and we’ll donate the same to FareShare.”
Nadeem Iqbal, managing director at Chesterfield Poultry, added: “When we heard about the challenge, we were delighted to be involved, supporting our industry and families in the UK that need help through these difficult times.”
