A CHARITY based in Burnham has been shortlisted in a worldwide competition for its innovative new app.
Burnham-based Dan Owen, 49, designed BanktheFood, a free app set up to help foodbanks send their real-time needs to shoppers.
The idea came from a group of school children who, while working with their Southend foodbank, thought of a much easier way for shoppers to see what their nearest foodbanks need while they shop.
These students had found out their foodbank often struggled with getting its real-time shopping list out there, and as a result could be inundated with one item while having little of another.
Their solution was BanktheFood, a mobile phone app where foodbanks can regularly log their needs for shoppers to see when they are at a supermarket.
Dan developed the app with a team from his company, Mustard New Media.
The app was trialled in Southend and the Dengie.
Natasha Copus, manager of Southend foodbank, said: “One of the things that people have told us is that they are normally reminded about the foodbank when they see our collection points after they have already paid, when it’s too late. Having a reminder ping on your phone before you start shopping is brilliant.”
All users need to do is download the free app and then follow their nearest foodbank.
Once they are near a drop-off point, BanktheFood will ‘ping’ their phone with a reminder of the shopping list.
Users can then buy exactly what their foodbank needs and drop the items off.
The Essex app has now been selected by tech giant Huawei to be shortlisted in its worldwide competition among just 20 other European apps.
Burnham’s Emma Spring manages the charity BanktheFood on a day-to-day basis.
As a primary school teacher, Emma said she has seen first-hand the result of hunger and poverty in her classrooms.
The 48-year-old now wants people to vote for the app in the competition, to get behind a good cause and beat the European giants they are up against.
Students from Ormiston Rivers Academy, in Burnham, are also encouraging people to download the app.
Dan and Emma are both donating their time to manage, develop and promote BanktheFood.
The app is available nationwide.
To vote for BanktheFood in the Huawei HMS App Innovation Contest, go to bit.ly/2WHROfb.
Voting ends at 6pm on Sunday.
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