A COMMUNITY fridge which has saved more than 11,000kg of food from landfill is marking its first anniversary.

The Ryedale Free Fridge, which is based in Malton’s Wesley Centre, was set up last December with the aim of redistributing waste food.

Lindsay Wrightson, from Ryedale Free Food, said: “When we talk about waste food, we mean the food that businesses are not longer able to sell, but is still perfectly safe to eat.

“This food would normally go into landfill, but we now have the opportunity to redistribute the food freely to people who need it.

“To date the amount of food saved from landfill, a measure of success, is 11,175kg. This has gone to feed approximately 8,878 people. Only 7kg of food has gone to landfill - vegetable waste goes to compost and bread waste goes to another community enterprise, the Acorn Farm, to feed their pigs.”

Lindsay thanked everyone who had helped the project, including the Storey Family Trust who helped with the start up and continued support from the Malton and Norton Lions, The Wesley Centre, Coast and Vale Community Action and the National Community Fridge Network.

“A very big thank you to all our donors, the way they have all bought into the idea of not wasting food has been remarkable and we still welcome new donors,” she said.

“Thanks to the many people who have come forward to volunteer with the project - both at the fridge when it is open, the team who collect food from donors, and those behind the scenes promoting the project.

“There have also been a number of spin-offs we hadn’t thought about when we started - the warm welcome for the fridge users - we offer teas and coffees and chance to chat and make friends, providing a small but valuable social hub from where we can also signpost people to other sources of help and advice.”

It is open Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, from 10am to 1pm. Go to ryedalefreefridge.org