Success as Telford fridge for the needy opens
A community fridge in Telford, aimed at helping people in need and cutting food waste has been a success in just its first day, according to those behind it.
Telford's first community fridge opened in Brookside, which the people running it say will help the ongoing work to tackle poverty in the area.
Almost half of children in Brookside live in poverty, and the scheme will give businesses and local people a way to share food that may otherwise have been thrown out.
The project is being run by Brookside Big Local, with support from Stirchley and Brookside Parish Council and Charitable Incorporated Organisation
The fridge has put up in the centre of Brookside and will be open from Monday to Friday where residents and businesses can share surplus food.
Anyone will be able to help themselves to quality foods that would otherwise be wasted.
Those behind the community fridge idea are calling on all businesses to take part and donate unwanted food.
Those behind the plan say it will help put food that would otherwise go to waste to good use.
Sam Smith, community project officer for Stirchley and Brookside Parish Council, said that they had a good donation from local shops for the opening on Tuesday but that much of the food has already been taken.
She said: "We had donations from Sainsbury's and the Co-op and it has almost all gone.
"We have also been contacted by Telford Crisis Network who have offered to donate us a chest freezer so we can offer frozen food as well.
"A lot of people have said the food parcels that are given out in the area are good but they don't have any fresh food so they said now, once they've had their parcel, they can come to the fridge and get something fresh.
"Co-op in Stirchley has also asked us to apply to be their chosen charity which is really good."
