Norfolk Waste Partnership

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Press Release

1^st November 2017

NORFOLK’S FIRST EVER COMMUNITY FRIDGE COMES TO WATTON

Today, Breckland Council, the Wayland Partnership, and Recycle for Norfolk launched Norfolk’s first ever ‘Community Fridge’. Supported by the environmental charity Hubbub UK, and funded by Sainsbury’s Waste less Save more programme, the Wayland Community Fridge is part of a growing effort to tackle food waste.

The fridge is located at the Wayland Partnership’s offices at Wayland House in Watton and will be open every day to enable residents and businesses to share surplus food for free. Anyone can help themselves to free quality food that would otherwise have been wasted.

Watton Bakery is the first business to confirm it will contribute to the scheme, by donating a selection of unsold goods daily at 3.30pm. The Wayland Partnership is calling on the support of all food businesses in Watton to donate surplus food still within its ‘use by’ date from the 1^st November onwards.

Food waste is a big issue in the UK. The average family 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 in the UK (4.1 million tonnes or 61%) is avoidable and could have been eaten had it been better managed.

Breckland Council’s Executive Member for Place, Cllr Paul Claussen said: “No one likes to see food that can still be eaten going to waste and the community fridge is such a simple way to help prevent this. Despite growing awareness of food waste generally, until now there were not many ways for our local businesses to get food nearing its ‘use by’ date to those who could use it. The Community Fridge is open to all and we hope that local food retailers and residents will make good use of it.”

The Chair of the Norfolk Waste Partnership, Cllr John Fisher commented “We are delighted to be part of the UK’s growing Community Fridge Network. With ultimately seven Community Fridges being installed in Norfolk, we will have the largest network of Community Fridges outside of London.”

The fridge will be unveiled on Wednesday 1 November at 10.30am as part of the launch of the Watton & Carbrooke Discovery Community which is an initiative aimed at reducing food waste. Watton & Carbrooke is one of seven new Discovery Communities being set-up in Norfolk by the Norfolk Waste Partnership under the banner of Recycle for Norfolk funded by Sainsbury’s plc.

Otherwise known as ‘Honesty’ Fridges, Community Fridges have been successfully introduced in Spain, Germany and other parts of the UK. Recycle for Norfolk is working to establish a total of seven Community Fridges across Norfolk as part of its Waste less Save more Discovery Community project working with Sainsbury’s.

Further details about the Community Fridge and everything planned in the Watton & Carbrooke Discovery Community can be found at www.recyclefornorfolk.com/discoverycommunities or via Twitter and Facebook: @PlanEatSave @Recycle4Norfolk

Ends

For media enquires please contact Paula Boyce, Principal Communications Officer, Norfolk Waste Partnership, on 07823 383552 or email [e-mail]

Member Contact

Cllr Paul Claussen – tel: [phone], mobile [phone]

Notes to Editors

1. 
   The Wayland Community Fridge is located at Wayland House, High Street, Watton, Norfolk, IP25 6AR will be open Monday to Friday from 9am – 4pm.
   

2. 
   Between now and February 2018, Recycle for Norfolk is installing seven Community Fridges located in: Watton, Thorpe St. Andrew in Norwich, Shrublands in Gorleston, Downham Market, Fakenham, Heartsease in Norwich and Costessey supported by Sainsbury’s plc.
   

3. 
   Norfolk’s Community Fridges are part of a national Community Fridge Network established by Hubbub, a UK based charity that creates environmental campaigns with a difference. In 2016 Hubbub helped South Derbyshire Community Voluntary Service) set up the Swadlincote Community Fridge. During the initial six month trial period it re-distributed 2,290kg worth of food, which would have otherwise been wasted.
   

4. 
   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
   

5. 
   The national statistics and information on food waste in the UK can be found at:
   

www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/why-save-food

www.wrap.org.uk/content/hospitality-and-food-service-wraps-work-0

6. 
   The Norfolk Waste Partnership (NWP) is made-up of Norfolk’s County, District, Borough and City Councils working together to improve waste and recycling services for Norfolk’s residents and visitors. ‘Recycle for Norfolk’ is the public-facing brand of the NWP.
   

www.recyclefornorfolk.com