Lactalis UK & Ireland is delighted to announce the return of its Galloway Cheddar brand’s nationwide community charity campaign, the ‘Galloway Gathering Project’, which will donate the equivalent of 90,000 meals*.
Partnering once again with the UK’s leading food distribution charity, FareShare, the campaign is back and bigger than ever, aiming to tackle food insecurity and isolation through a series of events and community activations – reaching towns and villages from the west and east coasts, to as far north as the Highlands.
As part of the campaign, established food trucks across Scotland will cook up special cheesy dishes using Galloway Cheddar for one off fundraising days this summer where customers will also be offered the opportunity to donate directly to FareShare. In addition, Lactalis UK & Ireland is donating 800kg of cheese to FareShare, for distribution across its network of charity partners in Scotland.
The campaign launched on Friday 30th May in Dundee, with registered charity Just Bee Productions hosting a special community event for 60 attendees, to mark the official start of the 2025 initiative.
At the event, Gary Maclean, MasterChef winner and National Chef of Scotland, prepared special portions of Mac n’ Cheese using Galloway Cheddar, which were enjoyed by attendees and distributed to those in need via through FareShare’s charity partners.
Heloise Le Norcy-Trott, Marketing Director at Lactalis UK & Ireland, said: “The Galloway Gathering Project grows year on year because the need is greater than ever. By introducing the Galloway Gathering Tour, we’re not only continuing our work with FareShare but also finding new ways to support people who need it most and offering first-hand opportunities for people to socialise over food.
“After the success of last year’s food truck campaign, we’re excited to bring that element back on the road too, giving people an opportunity to donate and raise awareness for the brilliant work FareShare do. For decades, Galloway Cheddar has been part of Scottish gatherings and we’re proud that with FareShare we can continue that tradition by using food as a vehicle for change.”
In an exciting expansion of the project, and new for 2025, later this year, Galloway Cheddar is launching ‘The Galloway Gathering Tour’ a food and music roadshow designed to bring people together across Scotland. The tour will visit rural towns and villages, engaging communities through good food, live music and social interaction. The campaign will also be supported by radio and social media advertising.
Kirsty Ford, Head of Fundraising at FareShare said: “We are so grateful to everyone at Galloway Cheddar for supporting this campaign. The donations made to FareShare from this initiative will help us get good-to-eat food, which might otherwise go to waste, to people who need it. Every day, food from FareShare is redistributed to a network of charities, including homelessness shelters, after school clubs, refuges, and older people’s lunch clubs. By donating to FareShare via the food trucks, supporters help power the redistribution of surplus food, supporting essential services that strengthen communities and improve lives. Thank you.”
Gary Maclean, Scotland’s National Chef said: “It’s brilliant to see the Galloway Gathering Project growing and reaching even more communities this year. Food has always been a big part of how we connect in Scotland, and this campaign taps into that in a meaningful way – not just feeding people but bringing them together. FareShare are doing vital work tackling food poverty, and I’m proud to support that again this year, using good Scottish produce like Galloway Cheddar to make something simple, tasty, and shared.”
To learn more about this year’s campaign visit https://www.gallowaycheddar.co.uk/ or to donate visit FareShare’s website www.fareshare.org.uk.
