Community Fridge Opens in Dundee

Published: 26/08/19

The first Community Fridge in Dundee has been officially launched by the Gate Church Carbon Saving Project, supported by the environmental charity Hubbub, that runs the Community Fridge Network, and funded by a grant from the Scottish Government’s Climate Challenge Fund (CCF).

The Dundee West End Community Fridge in Miller’s Wynd will be open from 8 am to 8 pm Monday to Friday, and 8 am – 4 pm Saturday and Sunday, to enable residents and local businesses to share surplus quality food that would otherwise go to waste.

Project Co-ordinator, Lynsey Penny, said: “Anyone can help themselves to the food in the fridge.  We are trying to reduce the food waste that is such a factor in climate change.  We think this is a great way for individuals and businesses to re-distribute food that may otherwise have ended up in landfill.”

The Gate Church Carbon Saving Project will welcome donations of raw fruit and vegetables that can be left in the fridge at any time.  Anyone who has unopened, packaged food that is within its use-by date that they would like to donate is asked to contact the project and arrange a suitable time for it to be given to the fridge.  Ms Penny explained that the Community Fridge will be run to the same high levels of food hygiene as any other food business so there are certain foods that cannot be accepted – raw meat, cooked rice, unpasteurised milk, pates and bean sprouts.  In addition, food past its use-by date, food in damaged or open packaging or food cooked in an unregistered home kitchen cannot be given.  Also known as ‘Solidarity’ or ‘Honesty’ Fridges, Community Fridges have been successfully introduced in Spain and Germany.

There are currently 50 Community Fridge Network fridges open across the UK, which on average each redistribute half a tonne of food per month.  Scotland’s first Community Fridge opened on the Isle of Mull last year.  Food waste is a big issue in Scotland. Every household throws away on average £460 worth of food every year.  Most of that waste (around 60%) is avoidable and could have been eaten had it been better managed.

Ylva Haglund, Food Waste Campaigns Manager, Zero Waste Scotland added: “Scotland is committed to reducing food waste and Community Fridges are a brilliantly simple way of using up quality fresh food that would otherwise be thrown away. It’s exciting to see the growing trend for Community Fridges in Scotland and we hope other communities across the country will follow suit when they see the positive impact they can make.  It’s great to see the commitment from the Gate Church Carbon Saving Project to make the Dundee fridge a success and we particularly thank the Climate Challenge Fund for making this project possible.”

Environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful manages the Climate Challenge Fund on behalf of the Scottish Government.  Alastair Seaman, Operations Manager at Keep Scotland Beautiful commented: “We are delighted to see another Community Fridge launch in Scotland. Community Fridges provide an opportunity for local communities to address the problem of food waste, helping to tackle carbon emissions and climate change, whilst ensuring anyone who needs it has access to high quality fresh food.  We look forward to working with Hubbub and local Climate Challenge Fund projects to develop a strong Community Fridge network for Scotland. We see this as part of our work to make Scotland clean, green and sustainable.”

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

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