Alliance Homes, Hubbub and the Co-Op have got together to reduce food waste by creating a new community fridge outside the Co-Op on Avon Way in Portishead.
A community fridge is a space where everyone can share their surplus food. The fridge on Avon Way will be stocked with food that would have gone to waste from the Co-Op, Tesco, Sainsburys, Waitrose, local allotments and other local businesses, producers, households and gardens. The food, which is still tasty and good enough to eat, will be provided to all local people including those who’ve been affected by the cost-of-living crisis.
To celebrate the eco-credentials and to mark the official opening of the community fridge, Michael Williams from Alliance Homes was joined by Liese Stanley and Greg Yuill from the Co-Op who celebrated the eco credentials of the project by cutting a ribbon made from re-used cloth.
Michael Williams, Community Investment Manager at Alliance Homes commented: “This community fridge is a great way to reduce food and packaging waste as well as provide food for the community. It was made possible thanks to Alliance and the Co-Op working together. We organised the location and collaborated with our suppliers, Gasworld, the Low Carbon Exchange, Harmony and Bristol Drains to provide over £2,500 between them to pay for the structure.”
Liese Stanley, Member Pioneer from the Co-op commented: “I’m so pleased to see it open, it’s great to see so many volunteers turn out to celebrate the opening. Their efforts will be what makes this a continued success and I thank them all for it.
“In the past year the Portishead Community Fridge volunteers have already distributed over eight tonnes of food through running drop in surplus tables, so to now have a dedicated site with refrigeration will be a big boost.”
Future plans for the project include cookery clubs, fork to fork celebrations, collaboration with our local schools, introduction to fairtrade food choices, recipe bags and growing in the community projects.
If you’d like to donate food, volunteer or just find out more, visit the Portishead Community Fridge page on Facebook.