Cut Waste, Get in the Fridge

The island’s first ever Community Fridge has been launched in a growing effort to tackle food waste and place good food within reach of those who need it most.

The Willaston Community Fridge is the first of three to be launched locally and is located at St Joseph’s on Snaefell Road, supported by Living Hope, Hubbub UK and the Manx Co-op.  

In the first instance it will be open every Thursday between 12-3pm to enable individuals and businesses to share surplus food, and for anyone to help themselves to quality food that would otherwise be wasted. As a local food business, allotment holder or charitable individual, you can join with the Manx Co-op and donate surplus food.

Andrew Corrie, Operations Manager at Manx Coop, said: ‘The Manx Coop are proud to support the Isle of Man’s first community fridge initiative and encourage the Manx public to make use of this service with more to follow in the near future.’

It is expected that as the community resource grows the fridge will be open more often and other supporting activities will run in parallel.  Currently Thursday’s daytime warm space is also open at St Joseph’s between 12-3pm where anyone can get a free warm lunch, receive a warm welcome and opt into various activities ranging from simple crafts to well-being support.

Maddie Porter from Living Hope, said: ‘Community Fridges are a wonderful concept and we’re delighted to host the first for the Isle of Man.  It’s more than just a fridge actually – it can be a social space, a community hub, a vibrant benefit to the community, maybe even a lifeline to some families given the current financial crisis. Everyone is welcome to get involved, whether by giving or receiving food, attending Thursday’s Daytime, or partnering to provide skills or classes that will enrich lives and address issues such as social isolation or financial stress, for example.’

 The launch of two more community fridges on the Isle of Man is planned for early 2023 – one to be hosted in the north, and one in the south.

To find out more about the Willaston Community Fridge, donate or partner email maddie.porter@livinghope.im