Yesterday saw the launch of SAX Community Fridge, an initiative to reduce food waste in our community.
The project, in conjunction with IP17GNS is open to ALL members of the community and sees food that otherwise would go to landfill, offered to people who can make use of it. Food collected from local supermarkets, businesses and individual donations will be taken home free of charge by ‘customers’ who can turn them into tasty meals instead.
The Community Fridge is run by a group of volunteers dedicated to reducing waste and saving perfectly usable goods from being binned. It is estimated that around one third of all food produced globally is wasted. Every year the UK is responsible for 6.6million tonnes of food waste, about 70% of this could actually have been eaten. By tackling food waste, it’s projected that the average UK family of four could save £60 per month and the equivalent in carbon of 1 in 5 cars on the road. For more information about food waste, this website has some interesting statistics.
The Community Fridge scheme will be open at The Town House (opposite the train station) every Monday, Thursday and Friday between 11am – 1pm. Visitors are welcome to browse the offerings or bring items to donate themselves.
Food will be within its ‘use by’ date for fresh items but may be past its ‘best before’ date for dried goods, as this is still perfectly edible.
If you’re bringing items for the Community Fridge we ask that they are in sealed packaging, within their ‘use by’ date and only pre-cooked items prepared by registered businesses can be accepted.
The first day of the programme has been a huge success, a great indicator for the future of Saxmundham Community Fridge. One visitor, surveying the table of goodies stated “It’s like Ready Steady Cook – a selection of interesting things to turn into a meal and will really get me thinking about what to cook for dinner tonight!”
We’re looking forward to welcoming all members of the community and together, tackling food waste and building a strong community bond through the scheme.
