Llan Food Share aims to freeze out waste with free fridge

* Food Share treasurer Gill Robertson, left, and Steph Mitchell, centre manager.

Llangollen’s Food Share organisation has launched a new initiative to prevent waste by opening a Community Fridge.

It will be open on Mondays and Thursdays, between 9am and 11am, inviting everyone to help themselves to quality food that would otherwise be wasted.

The Community Fridge is located in the Food Share Hub at the town end of Market Street car park.

Centre manager Steph Mitchell said: "For the last four years our main priority has been to make sure that everyone in the Llangollen area has enough food for themselves and their families. That is still our top priority and our Wednesday session is to distribute our regular food provisions for those in need.

“Monday and Thursday sessions are for everyone, not just those who are struggling to make ends meet. The food we offer will often have a short shelf life. Other items have been donated to us in large quantities and our limited storage space means that we have no room to store them."

She added: “Llangollen Food Share has a zero waste policy. Food waste is a huge issue in the UK. 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. 

"Most food waste is avoidable and could have been eaten had it been better managed. We hope that this new initiative will reduce food waste in Llangollen.

“Donations from local residents, businesses and other organisations are always welcome to help us achieve our purpose of ensuring that no-one locally goes without good quality food."

The Llangollen fridge is one of a growing number opening up across the UK. 

The concept first arrived in the UK in 2016 with Community Fridges opening up in Swadlincote, Frome and London. Now over 50 projects are running across the country.

Opening hours:

* Foodshare for individuals and family support: Wednesdays 1pm - 2pm

* Community Fridge for Everyone: 9am-11am on Mondays and Thursdays.

* Llangollen Foodshare Hub is on the Castle Street end of the main Market Street Car Park.

* The community fridge initiative is supported by the charity Hubbub UK in a growing effort to tackle food waste.

Steph can be contacted by email:llangollenfoodshare@gmail.com or mobile 07538 894 449.

More information on The Community Fridge Network, including a map of fridge locations and advice for those interested in setting up a community fridge can be found at www.hubbub.org.uk/communityfridgenetwork