A seasonal community fridge that has saved 10 tonnes of food waste from going to landfill will reopen next month.
The Inspire centre on Stockport Road in Levenshulme confirmed it had won funding for a third consecutive year to continue to project, where residents can pick up a bag of fresh fruit and veg for free.
It will take place between 9:00-10:30am every Thursday from November 6, with Zaneta Necpalova, Inspire’s cafe co-ordinator, saying the food will be available to everybody regardless of their circumstances.
“This time, we are focusing on fresh produce and offering tasty recipe ideas to help everyone make the most of what’s on offer.
“The fridge is open to everyone, there are no requirements to use it, whether you’re in need or simply want to help reduce food waste.
“It’s also a great chance for our volunteers to get hands on experience and even work towards a Level 2 Food Safety qualification.
“It’s all about reducing waste, sharing food, and bringing our community together.”
Around 35 people per week used the community fridge in previous years, with funding coming from the Hubbub charity.
Hubbub oversees a network of more than 700 community fridges across the UK, which it says contributed to 24 million free meals in 2024 alone.
“As well as stopping good food from going to waste, people can also take part in other activities, learning new skills such as how to grow or cook food, or simply drop in for a chat,” said a statement from the charity.
“In 2024 we supported over 100 community fridge sites to expand their offer to include community meals and cooking and growing workshops.
“In the context of rocketing food prices and widespread loneliness, many community fridges have also become a lifeline and valuable meeting place at the heart of their community.”
Inspire also hosts the Bread and Butter Project on Friday afternoons, which offers mystery bags of surplus food from supermarkets and wholesalers at a deep discount.
