Elder Cook Tours ‘Lifesaving’ Food Redistribution Charity in London

Elder Quentin L. Cook, an Apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, visited The Felix Project, the largest food redistribution charity in London, on Thursday, May 29, 2025.

“The dream and the vision, and the concept is incredible and so consistent with anybody who has a desire to feel accountable to God for watching out for people. It's lifesaving," said Elder Cook. 

Earlier this year, the Church of Jesus Christ announced it was collaborating with Muslim Aid to support The Felix Project’s work of providing tens of millions of meals for those in need across the city. Elder Cook met with leaders from The Felix Project and Muslim Aid during his visit as they toured the charity’s East London depot. Elder Michael T. Ringwood of the Presidency of the Seventy and Elder Scott D. Whiting, Europe Area North President, joined him.

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“It’s an organization that is kind of run on magic dust. And that magic dust is the fact that lots of people want to help other people”, said Shane Dorsett, chief operating officer of the Felix Project. “Just being a part of that is very cool.”

Mustafa Faruqi, chair of the trustee board of Muslim Aid, said, “Anything that the human race has achieved that is significant has been through collaborating with each other and with people from different backgrounds. So, that’s why we’re very proud as a Muslim faith-based charity, to work with [the Church] as a Christian faith-based charity, to show that what we can achieve together is a lot more than what we can achieve working on our own.”

The Felix Project: A Legacy of Compassion

As part of the group’s tour, the leaders learned of the story that led to the establishment of The Felix Project.

The charity was founded in 2016 in memory of Felix Byam Shaw, a young boy who died from meningitis in 2014.

Determined to honour Felix’s life and compassionate spirit, his parents set up the charity inspired by an important moment in the young boy’s life. After playing a football match, Felix was troubled to learn that many of the 10-year-old boys on the opposing team hadn’t had anything to eat that day. His concern for others left a lasting impression — and ultimately became the driving force behind The Felix Project, which combats food waste and feeds those in need. In 2024, The Felix Project rescued, prepared, and distributed the equivalent of 38 million meals to over 1,200 community organisations and schools across every London borough.

Distribution of Surplus Food

The Felix Project distributes food surplus gathered from suppliers to these community organizations. As part of the tour, the guests, including Elder Cook, learned how this is done.

“At The Felix Project,” explained Dorsett, “we rescue and redistribute surplus food. And that surplus food comes from the entirety of the supply chain, from farmers to wholesalers and manufacturers, down into online retailers, supermarket chains and even restaurants, anywhere along the supply chain. Where there’s food, there’s surplus food, and we try to rescue everything that we can that is edible and then redistribute it to communities in need.”

Sam Rushworth, a member of Parliament in Northeast England and a Latter-day Saint, reflected on the role of faith-based groups in helping the hungry.

“It doesn’t fall to the government to solve every problem. I don’t think we could,” he said. “We know that in our communities, it is generally the faith organisations and the small community groups that are running food banks, that are providing places for people to go to tackle isolation, where people are lonely, support the community.”

Interfaith Collaboration

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Muslim Aid U.K. joined forces in 2024 to support The Felix Project’s mission to provide millions of meals for those in need. This collaboration will support The Felix Project’s aim to further increase the distribution of meals across the capital in 2025, offering vital relief to struggling communities.

This interfaith support is linked to The Felix Project’s upcoming relocation of its West London depot to Acton Park. With the current facility supporting 284 community organisations, the move will significantly increase capacity, enabling the Felix Project to rescue more food and deliver more meals annually.

“Muslims, like Christians and people from other faiths, practice fasting so that we know what it's like to feel hungry. And that gives us a great deal of empathy with people who are hungry”, said Faruqi. “I think sometimes it’s the simplest missions that are the most powerful that everybody can unite on, regardless of faith, color or creed or background.”

A Lasting Impact

Referring to the meeting with Elder Cook and the other guests, Dorsett said with emotion, “I think that was one of the most inspiring meetings I’ve ever been in — and it was because the mission to serve in that room was so obvious. That’s the only reason that group of people was in that room: they wanted to help other people who needed help.”

Rushworth added, “There’s something, I think, in each of us that we yearn to serve and give ourselves for others.”

Reflecting on his visit, Elder Cook said, “It is a sacred responsibility to care for those in need. I am grateful for the remarkable work being done by The Felix Project and for the spirit of unity shown by Muslim Aid and others who are working together to relieve hunger and suffering. This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to love our neighbour and to act in the service of others.”