Beverley first discovered Olio during the summer of 2022 when she was out of work and money was a little tight. By November, she was eager to give back and became a Food Waste Hero, collecting surplus food twice a week to share with her local community. Around that time, she also began volunteering at a cafe that, like Olio, focuses on rescuing food from waste.
I met so many lovely people through volunteering, including Wendy who was another Food Waste Hero and Helen who regularly collected food from me. Despite working full-time, Helen soon decided to join us as an Olio volunteer too. What began as a shared effort to reduce food waste quickly became a very close friendship.
Here’s a photo from our first night out together at Re-F-use, a local cafe in County Durham, with a similar ethos to Olio. They’re all about rescuing surplus food and giving back to the community…
Beverley, Helen, and Wendy supported each other, both through Olio and in everyday life. In fact, Beverley and Wendy were even invited to Helen’s wedding recently — proof of how their friendship has grown beyond just sharing food!
It’s overwhelming to think that, despite living within just a two-mile radius of each other, we might never have crossed paths if it weren’t for Olio.
Beverley has met many people in her community through sharing on the app. One of her regular requesters recently reached out after being in hospital, telling her how much he missed their chats and was looking forward to getting back. When he was finally able to stopped by again, they caught up, and Beverley felt grateful to be able to support him with the food she collects and shares.
Olio has not only helped me reduce waste but has brought so much kindness into my life. I have countless stories of generosity and connection — so many that I could write a book about them! And each act of kindness I receive inspires me to pass it on to others.
Olio has given me far more than I ever expected—it’s brought me friendship, support, and the chance to make a real difference in my local community. For that, I’ll always be grateful.
What do you love the most about Olio?
The community spirit – meeting people you would never have met were it not for Olio and seeing the world in a nicer light