Shaftesbury is heralding a novel way to cut food waste while giving townsfolk easy access to fresh, nutritious food after the Open Fridge was officially opened on Wednesday, May 19.

Everyone from vulnerable families to peckish builders are invited to help themselves to free food, which has been donated by supermarkets, restaurants, cafés and people’s cupboards, which may be close to its sell by date, but would otherwise be destined for the bin.

Unlike traditional food banks, anyone can take food out without limit – allowing easy access for fresh, nutritious food for all and thus removing the stigma, while mitigating food waste.

Shaftesbury Open fridge is also a social space, which helps connect the community.

The Open Fridge

Helen Beecham has been the driving force behind Open Fridge which she has launched with the help of 15 volunteers, to reduce waste by making it readily available to everyone.

Helen is the administrator for Open House, the charity which has been giving support and advice to the Shaftesbury community for six years, but Open Fridge is different in that it is tackling food waste by giving free food for everyone.

“There are two reason why I launched this project,” said Helen. “The first reason is to reduce food waste so instead of people throwing food away, which may be close to its sell by date, they can donate it, and secondly, the food in the fridge is available to anyone who wants or might need it.”

Since Helen has been highlighting the Open Fridge, a growing number of supermarkets, businesses and individuals are depositing edible food that would otherwise go to waste.

Helen said: “We receive donations from supermarkets and since the word has been out, we have received food from restaurants and cafés. We received a call from a milkshake store who had a lot of milk which was close to its sell-by-date and would be thrown away who kindly asked if we would like it. We accepted and put it in our freezers.”

The Open Fridge was officially launched by the Mayor of Shaftesbury Andy Hollingshead who said: “I was delighted to be asked to formally open the community fridge at Open House. This is a wonderful initiative which will cut food waste, and which will help families. I am really hoping that supermarkets, the hospitality industry and private individuals will get behind this terrific project.”

Anyone is invited to the Open Fridge and help themselves to free food, which will be available every Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 10am and 5pm in the car park of Father’s Day Church.

If anyone would like to donate food, they are able to drop it in during the times Open Fridge will be manned by a volunteer every Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 10am- 12noon and 2pm-4pm.

The Open Fridge is in the Father’s Day Church car park and is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday

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