The King has marked his 75th birthday by launching an initiative to support charities feeding the nation with unwanted food – and surprised a Big Issue seller with a generous donation.
Charles visited a food distribution hub in Oxfordshire to kick-start his Coronation Food Project with the Queen and found himself twice serenaded with verses of Happy Birthday.
The head of state has penned an article for the latest Big Issue edition about food waste and those in need and he handed seller Kelvin £10 for the magazine costing £4 at the end of the event.
The 61-year-old, who has been homeless for periods of his life since a teenager, joked afterwards: “He gave me cash, that does prove something – he does carry money.”
Kelvin, whose pitch is outside Somerset House in central London, added: “He asked if I was in accommodation and about selling the Big Issue. I said it’s got me through the bad times and it has a positive social message.
He said about the Coronation Food Project: “I think it goes to show he cares, he’s reaching out to the general public.”
Charles and Camilla were given a tour of the South Oxfordshire Food and Education Alliance, part of FareShare, a national network of charitable food redistributors.
