This month Milton Keynes Community Fridge has been officially launched at The Old Bath House community centre in Wolverton.
It follows a crowdfunding campaign which saw the project exceed their target of donations towards the cost of setting up. The ‘Community Fridge’, is being trialled with the support of environmental charity Hubbub UK and Bosch in a growing effort to tackle food waste.
The fridges will enable residents and businesses to share surplus food and for anyone to help themselves to quality food that would otherwise be wasted. Co-op, Wordsworth Avenue and Costa's are leading in their efforts to use the service and help them reduce their food waste.
The two fridges and one freezer donated by Bosch are available for anyone to access from Monday-Friday, 7-9pm.
Co-ordinator Helen Innes said: “We are thrilled to be able to launch MK Community Fridge and thank everyone who has helped make it happen.
"We are keen to call out to all food businesses in Wolverton and Milton Keynes to donate surplus food and find out more about how we can help them address their food waste problem. We’re also keen to hear from people who would like to volunteer with the project.”
Food waste is a big issue in the UK. The average household throws away £470 worth of food every year and at the same time 4 million people in the UK are living in food poverty. Most food waste in the UK (4.1 million tonnes or 61%) is avoidable and could have been eaten had it been better managed.
The fridge will accept any kind of fruit, vegetables, bread, sandwiches and alike all within their use by date. Home cooked’ food will not be accepted, only food prepared and cooked in a Registered Food Businesses.
Otherwise known as ‘Solidarity’ or ‘Honesty’ Fridges, Community Fridges have been successfully introduced in Spain, Germany and other parts of the UK.
Community Fridges are now springing up all over the country, as a way of cutting food waste, building stronger bonds within the community and redistributing perishable food to those who need it most.
To find out more, donate or volunteer, click here
