The Wantage Community Fridge is one year old this month. Over that period no fewer than 53 volunteers have helped them save tonnes of good food from going to waste. Thank you to everyone who takes part – to the partners who donate surplus food, to their funders, to the volunteers who have packed and delivered, and to everyone who picks up bags and eats the food. What an amazing team – we’re proud of you, Wantage!
Food saved: 24,850 kilos. That’s about 497 trolleys worth. If we put them end to end they’d reach from The Mix, around Newbury Street and Church Street to The Beacon!
Estimated carbon emissions saved: 63,081 kilos CO2 equivalent (just a rough estimate, since different foods have significantly different carbon footprints). That’s equivalent to the average annual emissions of 12 people in the UK!
Deliveries since the first lockdown: 4,413
Bags collected from the Mix since July: 3,008.
Volunteer hours for the year: 1,735 (equivalent to one person working full time).
Things that have grown out of the fridge’s existence: cookery course with Maymessy and Ray Collins Trust, Gingerbread baking session (via Zoom) with Maymessy, Christmas hampers.
They’ve had so many notes of appreciation, we thought you might like to read a selection:
“Looking forward to the next surprise makes the days go faster.”
“I can’t express enough the positive impact it has on me receiving a food parcel each week. Not only does it help me to eat if I’m unable to get to the shops but it also helps my mental well-being as I feel I’m not alone and someone cares. I also feel that I’m helping in some small way with the massive food waste problem.”
“Thank you so much for our delivery today, when we can’t get out due to having people with low immunity this has really helped. Thank you for all your hard work. stay safe”
“Thank you so much for the bag of fruit and treats – really cheered up the kids!”
“I have really enjoyed being part of the Mix Community Fridge project from delivering bags to shielding or vulnerable people in our community to eating delicious donuts to making banana bread and blackberry gin from donated waste food. I do love the fact that my family are using up food that would otherwise have been thrown away, and the pleasure I get from seeing peoples faces when they get a bunch of flowers with their food is really special.”
“There was a good variety of items in the bag, all things we will use so it’s great to be able to avoid food waste and we really appreciate the fact we got it for nothing. Thank you for what you are doing for the community.”
“Thank u so much for our delivery, it’s so much appreciated, my husband’s currently self employed and had no work for last three weeks, just wanted you to know how much this helps me and appreciated it is.”
“I just wanted to say thank you so much for our delivery today, dropped off contact-free by a friendly volunteer with the added bonus of a rose plant which my three-year-old really appreciated.”
“Jo and the Mix are doing something amazing, they are knitting our community back together. Volunteering for the Mix is uplifting, reassuring, and, unlike any other role I’ve done before, I’d love to be told “there is no further need for your services” as that would mean everyone has food at home…. by helping the mix, and the town, I’ve also helped myself stay strong.”
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