What is a Community Fridge?

A Community Fridge is a large fridge that is open for the whole community to use – pretty much as simple as that. Following strict food hygiene and safety practice, a group of willing volunteers help surplus edible food from local retail and households to be shared, through the fridge, with anyone who’d like to take it. You don’t have to be member, you don’t have to explain to anyone why you’re using it, there is simply a request that you only take what you need and leave the fridge in the condition you found it (or even better).

There are now over 100 Community Fridges around the country, many part of the Hubbub network which we have joined. They are helping to make use of the enormous untapped resource of surplus and underused food supplies. Perhaps surprisingly, most food waste actually happens at household level and a Community Fridge can play a part in reducing that waste too.

The average household throws away £700 worth of food every year.

Most food waste in the UK is avoidable and could have been eaten had it been better managed.

What’s happening in Marlborough?

Working in partnership with the Town Council and drawing on the enthusisam of a good team of willing volunteers, there will soon be a Community Fridge open in Marlborough in the community room overlooking Coopers Meadow playpark, in the George Lane Car Park (behind the public loos).

The team will be contacting local food retailers, caterers, cafes and restaurants as well as connecting with local market stall holders, allotmenteers and home growers to redirect perfectly edible food that might otherwise go unused to the shelves of the fridge to be freely shared.

How you can help

While the fridge cannot take cooked food from private households, you can donate fresh, fridge-able food that is in date and edible. Perhaps you’re going away for a break, have bought more than you need or something you don’t like. No need to bin it – bring it to the fridge instead.

There is a small area of grass right next to the community room and ideas are already flowing about planting up a PYO herb garden, running small-group cookery workshops, even setting up a pop-up smoothie bar when the fridge has lots of fresh fruit and veg. Come next apple season, fruit from the trees of the Marlborough Community Orchard can make their way to the fridge too so everyone can benefit from the super-local goodness of fresh, seasonal fruit.

Watch this space for news and get in touch if you’d like to be involved.