BDR Waste Partnership

A cash boost to Community Fridge projects in Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham will help hard-pressed families and help to reduce food waste.

Renewi, the company which is part of the award-winning BDR waste treatment facility at Manvers treating household waste in the Dearne Valley, has donated £6,000 to support three groups in our area.

Every year Renewi makes funding available to local community projects through its Corporate Social Responsibility Fund. This year three Community Fridge groups each received £2,000. The money is supporting their work to combat food waste by building partnerships with local supermarkets, retailers and warehouses to source surplus food that can be used by the Community Fridges. This not only supports local families but also reduces the environmental impact of food waste.

Funding has been awarded to: The Community Fridge in Mapplewell and Staincross, Barnsley, The Cambeth Community Project in Armthorpe, Doncaster and The Learning Community in Dinnington, Rotherham.

Renewi Community Education Liaison Officer, Alistair Beattie, who is based at Manvers, said: “Nearly a third of all food produced globally is wasted – with lots of this food being thrown away before it is even sold, simply because it is labelled with a ‘best before date’ and even though it is perfectly healthy and edible.  Community Fridges are on the front line of stopping this waste – and they also provide a place of community and hope for those in need.”

“Renewi are thrilled to be able to support these three projects, and the volunteer teams providing the service, as they are having a positive impact in reducing food waste and helping some of the vulnerable families in our neighbourhoods.”

Karen Shaw from The Learning Community in Rotherham said: ““Thanks to Alistair Beattie and the team at Renewi for your much appreciated donation to The Learning Community.

“We have used the money to pay expenses to volunteers and staff to collect donations for our Community Fridge and towards utility costs to house both food and the fridge as well as providing funds for refreshments to enable us to invite Community Members in and give them a warm cuppa and refreshments during the recent cold months. Your generosity has been hugely appreciated by all. Thank you.”

Maxine Farrell from the Cambeth Community Project said: “Thanks so much to Renewi. The funding was a lifeline and helped us to keep the premises going for as long as possible. That means we have been able to support more people for longer.”

Leyla Nayeri from The Community Fridge in Mapplewell and Staincross, Barnsley, said: “The donation from Renewi was great news for us. We are using the funding to support our volunteers to gain certificates in Level 2 Food Hygiene. We are keen to help our volunteers with training and development opportunities which will not only help them in their work with us but also out in the wider world of work. The Renewi donation means we are able to continue with that support.”

The Renewi Corporate Social Responsibility Fund supports communities surrounding its award-winning household waste treatment facility at Manvers with small grants and/or volunteer time. Details of the fund are announced each year through the BDR Waste Partnership website at www.bdronline.co.uk and the Waste Less South Yorkshire website at www.wasteless-sy.co.uk 

Note to Editors: 

Community fridges are a tried and tested way of reducing the environmental impact of food waste, which is a huge issue. A third of all food produced globally is wasted. If food waste were a country, it would be the third biggest emitter of greenhouse gases globally. Across the growing network, each fridge can redistribute between 1 – 4 tonnes of surplus food per month, making the collective impact of the network huge.

However, they also do so much more: all across the UK, fridges have become the centre of the community. 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.

[Extract from https://hubbub.org.uk/community-fridge-network]

Note to Editors:  The waste treatment facility at Manvers processes around a quarter of a million tonnes of leftover waste a year from 345,000 homes across Barnsley, Doncaster, and Rotherham, turning it into useful products rather than sending it to landfill. For further information, contact Alistair Beattie on 07765 220452 or email Alistair.beattie@renewi.com