A community-led project in Keynsham is helping businesses reduce food waste while supporting those who need a little extra help with their shopping.
Keynsham Community Fridge has been running since around 2019 and works by collecting surplus food from local retailers and making it freely available to anyone who wants to use it.
The fridge operates from Savour Kitchen café in Keynsham and is stocked six days a week by a team of 31 volunteers. Food is collected from donor supermarkets and placed on shelves and in the fridge for visitors to take. In the process it has redistributed around 18,000kg of food in the last 12 months.
Chair Jane Humphrys said, “Our aims are to collect surplus food from retailers and redistribute it, run an inclusive fridge that is open to all, and promote the repurposing of surplus food in Keynsham through education and supporting schemes.”
Unlike food banks, the community fridge is open to everyone and does not use any financial criteria. Families, individuals and people of all ages are welcome to pop in and take what they need, as long as they follow simple guidelines on amounts and show consideration for others.
Jane said, “The fridge is not manned, but on the whole the public are considerate and respectful of other users. We just ask that people have a sharing and caring attitude in how they use it.”
Regular donors currently include Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Co-op, Aldi and Farmfoods, with additional support over the years from Lidl, small caterers, local traders, scouts, the farmers market and Keynsham Allotment plot holders. The fridge also works with Keynsham Children’s Centre Food Club and a food pantry in Bristol, sharing surplus food between projects when possible.
The team can accept fruit and vegetables, bakery items with ingredient labels, and unopened tins, jars and packets that are past their best before date but still safe to eat. Everything must be undamaged and suitable for sharing.
While the main aim is to reduce food waste, the fridge also plays a growing role in supporting people facing food insecurity. Jane said many families now use it to help top up their weekly shop.
She said, “We have a large number of families who find it useful to supplement their food in these challenging times. There is a constant increase in demand and we would love to meet people’s needs, so we are always looking for new local sources of edible food that would otherwise be thrown away.”
The fridge team regularly posts on the Keynsham Community Facebook page and has been an active partner in the Keynsham Affordable Food Service leaflet which is distributed through the community.
As well as food donations, the group is always keen to hear from people who might like to volunteer in the future, helping with collections or keeping the shelves stocked.
Jane added, “We currently have an amazing team of volunteers, but we always welcome potential new members for when people need a break or move on.”
Keynsham Community Fridge shows how simple, local action can make a real difference, helping the environment by cutting waste while supporting families across the community.
Families, businesses or anyone interested in donating food and who meet Food Safety standards can contact the project directly to find out more.
www.facebook.com/KeynshamCommunityFridge/?locale=en_GB
