Janine GriffithsThe Community Fridge at St James Manston Parish Hall is inviting residents to stock up on affordable groceries while helping to prevent good food from going to landfill.
The fridge opened yesterday at 2pm with a simple offer: fill your cupboards, not landfill. For £4, visitors can choose 13 items, with most of the food coming from high quality surplus stock that supermarkets are unable to sell. Staff ask that shoppers bring small bags for fruit and vegetables, and take care when parking near the hall.
The project works closely with Fareshare, sourcing food that would otherwise go to waste and making it available to the community at low cost. Organisers say the aim is twofold: reducing environmental impact and easing the pressure of the rising cost of living. With so many households feeling the pinch, they hope the fridge offers a small but meaningful boost.
Opening hours are Thursdays 2pm-4pm and 6pm-7pm, and Fridays 9-11am. Free tea, coffee and a friendly chat are also available in the church on Thursday afternoons. Products change each week depending on what is available, so visitors are encouraged to drop by and see what’s on offer.
The Community Fridge is located at St James Manston Parish Hall, LS15 8JB.
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