'Community fridge' opening in Falkirk to tackle food waste

One Planet Forth Valley, a project of the Central Scotland Regional Equality Council (CSREC), will launch the initiative in The Howgate shopping centre on Monday, October 12.

Open from Monday to Friday (10am-2pm), it will enable residents and businesses to share surplus food, with anyone welcome to help themselves to quality food that would otherwise be binned.

One Planet Forth Valley is calling on all food businesses and allotment holders based in the Falkirk region to donate surplus produce from October 12 onward.

The average household throws away £700 worth of food every year and at the same time 4 million people in the UK are living in food poverty.

Elaine Hill, One Planet Forth Valley project manager, said: “We’re very excited to be opening our community fridge.

“It’s been delayed by lockdown, so it’s great that we are now able to deliver this new service to the Falkirk community.

“Over 4 million tonnes of food is wasted in the UK every year, most of which is avoidable and could be eaten if managed better.

“In opening this community fridge we will be able to reduce local food waste and help the Falkirk community to eat more healthily.”

The fridge is one of a growing number opening up across the UK. The concept first arrived in the UK in 2016 with community fridges being set up in Swadlincote, Frome and London. Now more than 50 projects are running across the country.

Some of the challenges faced by community fridges to-date centre on legal requirements and food hygiene.

The world’s first Community Fridge Network has been set up by environmental charity Hubbub to provide free advice and support to organisers and act as a hub to enable communities to share their experiences and learn from each other.

To find out more details about the One Planet Forth Valley community fridge, or to make a donation or volunteer your time, please visit: the CSREC unit in The Howgate, send an email to [email protected] or call 07851 900981.

Message from the editor

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the highest standards in the world. The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers and consequently the advertising that we receive. We are now more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you