"WE'VE got to the point where half of those we're feeding are white collar workers who have lost their jobs and fallen on hard times. Misfortune has no prejudice."

June Ross-Wildman's recent success in convincing Waitrose to donate food from all of its stores across the country is a timely one.

Whether the 2012 reality of former Waitrose shoppers now surviving on its hand-outs is a cruel irony or simply social evolution at work is open for interpretation. But the injustice of people being hungry when perfectly good food is going to landfill is undeniable.

And it was this which motivated June, 46, to set-up Esther Community Enterprise.

"I worked in social services for 17 years," she recalls. "Doing that you see how people are living – there's no food in the cupboards, people are hungry. And then at the same time I knew food was being thrown away by supermarkets."

June, a devout Christian, was further inspired to act by the Biblical story of how God fed the Israelites in the desert.

"The story about manna from heaven really made me think. In it the people gather up the manna every day and share it out.

"It really relates to what we do because we go out and gather food every day and then share it out."

Since its humble foundations seven years ago Esther Community Enterprise has grown considerably – feeding more than 8,000 people a month across Croydon, the South East and – now the Waitrose contract has been agreed – the country.

Every day a fleet of drivers from a pool of around 100 volunteers collect food nearing its sell-by date from retailers. This is then distributed between charities – such as Croydon Nightwatch – and community organisations.

As well as observing the human benefit that "waste" food can bring, June has enjoyed seeing other ways in which the project has acted as a force for good.

"There was one woman with ten children who became a recipient and worked with us. She said to me: 'My dream is to go to university and become a curate'. At first I wasn't so sure she would.

"But I was wrong. She worked so hard and now she's studying at Oxford University.

"It just goes to show people can live their dreams."

Last summer the organisation was given the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service – the highest accolade for voluntary organisations.

"I was so proud of what we had achieved," says June, who is married with two children.

But with so much work on her plate – and a passionate distaste for waste – is her own fridge is in order?

"Of course! I've got to practice what I preach," she laughs. "I recycle food at home too."

For more details, visit www.esthercommunityenterprise.co.uk