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Second Orkney community fridge project opens in Stromness – will others now follow?

Orkney community fridge
Jane Nelson outside the Kirkwall Community Fridge

Orkney’s community fridge project has expanded, with a second facility  opening in Stromness.

The UK-wide initiative sees surplus food offered to people for free. This could be food approaching its use-by-date or extra vegetables grown locally.

The project has proven successful in Kirkwall since it opened its doors in March.

Volunteers at its Bridge Street premises regularly see a queue waiting for it to open.

Jane Nelson is the community fridge coordinator for Kirkwall and Stromness and the chair of Greener Orkney, the charity that set up the two Orkney fridges.

Tackling food waste

“We don’t want people driving round the county to pick up the food”, she said.

“We want the community fridges to be local. That’s one of the things that has driven the desire to set up another community fridge in Stromness.

“Also, we were approached by a member of the community in Stromness who wanted to set one up.

“Because we are a registered charity, we can get the insurance and we are members of Hubbub – the organisation of community fridges in Britain – for it to be set up reasonably easily.

“We also have the support of the Co-op. So, anywhere there’s a Co-op, we would hope to be able to set up a community fridge.”

Greener Orkney established the Kirkwall fridge with support from a number of organisations. Members of the charity went across to Thurso to see how the initiative was working there.

Jane Nelson at the community Fridge in Stromness (Pic: Greener Orkney)

Being encouraged with grants from The Co-op, local volunteer organisations and businesses, the Kirkwall community fridge became a reality and joined the network of fridges throughout the UK.

Jane added: “The whole point of community fridges is to reduce food waste. They’re there from an environmental point of view.

“A major cause of climate change is the amount of food that is wasted, isn’t re-used, and isn’t composted.

“Here in Orkney, there are a number of community organisations which are growing food in polytunnels and community gardens. Anyone who has excess food, we are here for them.”

“But it’s all about the visitors in the end – if they didn’t come, the food wouldn’t be re-used at all. We’re all here trying to make sure that the food is used.”

More Orkney community fridges on the cards?

So, with two community fridges set up in Orkney within just a few months of each other, could their reach be extended to the county’s other islands?

Jane said: “I’ve spoken to someone from Hoy. We’re now looking at how a Hoy community fridge could work along with the Stromness one.

“One of the community hubs in one of the other islands is also looking at setting up a fridge.

“We also had some people from Westray who came to see how our community fridge works, just like how we originally went to Thurso to see their community fridge which was a great help.”

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