Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Miriam Burrell

Food charity launches skyscraper challenge at Canary Wharf

A food charity is looking for volunteers to scale more than 1,000 steps of a Canary Wharf skyscraper to help provide meals to 870,000 Londoners.

The Felix Project is launching its first ever challenge event, the Santa Stair Climb, on November 19 and is looking for participants to climb 1,031 steps to the 48th floor of One Canada Square.

The charity hopes the event will raise enough funds for it to deliver meals to thousands of people in the capital who are struggling to afford to put food on the table.

Around 400,000 children in London go without a proper meal each day, the Felix Project said.

The charity distributes surplus food that cannot be sold to more than 1,000 communities and schools across London boroughs for people experiencing food insecurity.

“We know this winter is set to be a very worrying time for so many, but particularly for those on low incomes,” The Felix Project chief executive Charlotte Hill OBE said.

“Last year high energy and food prices left many facing the impossible choice between heating and eating, we saw unprecedented levels of need and we expect this year to be just as bad.

“It is vital The Felix Project is there to give as much food as it can to the incredible organisations who are feeding people facing food insecurity.”

People can register for the Santa Stair Climb alone for £25, or £30 after September 5, or sign up as a team of up to four people for £100.

Teams and individuals will have a fundraising target of £300 per climber. The challenge is expected to take around 30 minutes.

The event is being held in partnership with the Canary Wharf Group, which will provide activities and offers to participants and their families.

Shobi Khan, CEO of Canary Wharf Group said: “I encourage anyone who enjoys a challenge to register your place today and help us raise funds for this important cause.”

The Felix Project was the partner charity of the Standard’s Food for London Now appeal that helped set up its social kitchen Felix’s Kitchen, where chefs take surplus food ingredients from the charity’s depot and turn them into meals.

The charity was also a beneficiary of our recent On the Breadline cost of living appeal that raised more than £4 million to help the most disadvantaged people across Britain.

Anyone over the age of 18 can register for the star climb here.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.