Crisis puts Horsham Community Fridge scheme under threat

A crisis is putting the future of Horsham’s Community Fridge scheme under threat.
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The scheme – which aims to stop food waste – has proved a lifeline for many in a time of rising food prices.

It has been operating from Horsham Wellbeing Hub near The Forum but organisers have now been told they need to find new premises.

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Coordinators Victoria Wyllie, Jill Oliver and Nicola Fryatt have launched a desperate search and are hoping someone can come forward to help.

Horsham Community Fridge: Volunteers collect food from local supermarkets each evening, store it in fridges and freezers before giving it away to anyone who wants it. The scheme has saved tonnes of good food going to waste.Horsham Community Fridge: Volunteers collect food from local supermarkets each evening, store it in fridges and freezers before giving it away to anyone who wants it. The scheme has saved tonnes of good food going to waste.
Horsham Community Fridge: Volunteers collect food from local supermarkets each evening, store it in fridges and freezers before giving it away to anyone who wants it. The scheme has saved tonnes of good food going to waste.

"At the moment we have nowhere else to go,” said Jill.

Horsham Community Fridge, part of the Community Fridge Network, has been operating in Horsham since October 2020.

Every evening, volunteers collect ‘good to eat’ fresh food from local supermarkets – such as Waitrose, M&S, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and the Co-op – which would otherwise be thrown out and sent to landfill.

It is then stored in fridges and freezers before being given away free of charge to anyone who wants it. “We don’t assess anyone. We don’t charge. It’s all completely free,” said Jill.

Volunteers at Horsham Community FridgeVolunteers at Horsham Community Fridge
Volunteers at Horsham Community Fridge
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"We have saved nearly 44 tonnes of food from going into the local landfill site.”

She said Horsham District Council had served notice on them last week requiring them to leave the Wellbeing Hub by the beginning of September because the premises were needed by a new retailer.

Scores of people currently attend the hub every week on Tuesdays and Thursdays, along with ‘Pop Ups’ at various church venues around Horsham on Saturdays.

They currently have more than 100 people volunteering to help run the scheme and they have recently been awarded a 5-star hygiene rating for the way they operate.

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They are now looking for a venue in central Horsham big enough to store six fridges and freezers and a shelving area for collected crates of food, along with space for tables.

A spokesperson said: “The collectors require to access the venue in the evenings up to 10.30pm in order to weigh and store the food that has been collected that evening.

“We do not have money for rent, but we currently negotiated with the council to pay £200 per quarter for the electricity usage at The Wellbeing Hub – we could do this at any new premises.”

And in a heartfelt plea to anyone who can help, the coordinators say: “Please we need your help to assist us in remaining open for the people of Horsham, especially now when food prices are rising at an alarming rate.”

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Anyone who can help is asked to email: [email protected]

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Horsham District Council spokesperson said: “The council’s Health and Wellbeing Hub has been located on the Forum for the past 18 months. This arrangement was always on a temporary basis, until a commercial company took on the lease of the building.

"Over this period they were able to offer the Horsham Community Fridge scheme the use of this location to operate from. This arrangement has been successful to date.

" However the unit is now being let commercially which will benefit the economic development of Horsham in the long term.

"The Health and Wellbeing service will also now need to find new premises and relocate. Consequently the Health and Wellbeing Hub can no longer continue to accommodate the Community Fridge scheme.”