Community Fridge Project
The Community Fridge is a project focusing on food waste reduction.
Discover what’s inside, right now!
Welcome to our innovative live-streaming page, showing the real-time contents of our community fridge and freezer. We update with fresh images, capturing the latest donations and available items 30 seconds after a person leaves the fridge and freezer area each time.
What is the Community Fridge?
The Community Fridge (currently located in the Weston Building foyer) is a shared space where students and staff can both donate and receive surplus food. It aims to reduce food waste and provide a little help to support those facing cost-of-living challenges.
Who can use the Community Fridge?
All students and staff members are welcome to donate to and take from the Community Fridge.
Please read disclaimers and follow the allergy guidance, and the guidance on taking food from the fridge or freezer before you take food from the Community Fridge.
For detailed guidance, please read our .
How does it work?
- Taking food: Feel free to take any items from the fridge that you can use. It's open to everyone!
- Donating food: If you have surplus produce from your farm, home garden, or allotment, or unopened, unexpired food items from your cupboard that you won't use, simply place them in the fridge for others to enjoy.
Why a live stream?
Our live stream serves a dual purpose:
- You can see what's available at any moment, from wherever you are. This accessibility is especially valuable for those planning meals, seeking specific items, or simply curious about our current stock.
- By displaying the ever-changing variety of food, we hope to inspire more community members to contribute and benefit from this pilot resource.
We track the total weight and number of items/packs of food saved from going to waste and the associated packages recycled daily.
What can I donate?
Your contributions are the heartbeat of our community fridge. Whether it's surplus from your pantry, garden, or farm, your donations can make a big difference in someone's day. We welcome all non-perishable foods and ingredients, fresh produce, and unopened pre-packed or prepared foods with clear labels from manufacturers, including ingredient lists and expiration dates. At this stage, we do not accept frozen food or cooked food from individual households. When donating, please note the date labels as explained below.
- The Use By date relates to food safety. Food cannot be sold, redistributed or consumed after specified ‘Use By’ date. Please only donate food before their use-by date if such data label is provided on the food package.
- The Best Before date relates to food quality. Food with a ‘Best Before’ date can be redistributed and consumed after this date. Providing food is stored in appropriate conditions – i.e. as instructed on the label by the manufacturer – and has not become otherwise contaminated, it will be safe to consume for a period of time after the ‘Best Before’ date has passed, but it may not be at its best. We accept food past their “Best Before” date. Please still make sure they are fresh for consumption.
How many items can I take each time?
Our community fridge is open to everyone. Feel free to take what you need. Whether you're picking up ingredients for your next meal, or simply in need of a quick snack, our fridge and freezer are here for you. Remember, every item taken is an opportunity for saving food from going to waste.
Please be mindful when taking food from the Community Fridge in the morning, as there are over 500 users. The food is meant to be shared.
If you need more, please feel free to come back by the end of the day; if there's still food left, you can take additional items.
Occasionally, we may have large quantities of the same item, and during these times, you are encouraged to take as much as you can use.
A pre-recorded video showing the average daily use of our community fridge.
Where do we get the food from?
Central to our ethos is the emphasis on maximising the use of surplus food, particularly focusing on items most at risk of being wasted.
We collect surplus food from supermarkets not covered by other food hubs, in collaboration with FareShare. FareShare, known for redirecting surplus food to charities and community groups, informs us of any gaps in coverage that we can fill. Currently, we collect daily from some TESCO Express stores.
We also receive foods not easily redistributed by food hubs due to over-supply (gluts) or those with a very short shelf life. Reports indicate that approximately 20% of surplus food donated to food hubs may be wasted, with bakery foods being particularly vulnerable. , Wellington is our regular provider of such over-supplied foods.
How is the fridge maintained?
A team of volunteers regularly collect food from the TESCO stores and other donors, sort the food and store them in the fridge or freezer, and clean and monitor the fridge. Surplus food is collected and stocked daily.
Join Our Community Effort
Be part of this community initiative. Whether you're donating, collecting, or simply spreading the word, every action contributes to a stronger, more connected community.
Stay Informed, Stay Involved
Keep this page bookmarked to stay updated with the latest contents of our community fridge and freezer. Let's work together to reduce food waste, support each other, and strengthen the bonds within our community.
Can I volunteer to help?
Absolutely! We are fully relying on volunteers to keep it running smoothly. If you're interested in volunteering, or for more information, please contact:
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