A Community Fridge is a space where everyone can share surplus food, including donations from local food businesses, producers, households and gardens.

Environmental charity, the Hubbub Foundation coordinates the world’s largest Community Fridge Network with over 300 fridges across the UK. Hubbub have partnered with Co-op to fund 500 fridges by the end of 2023.

The Community Fridge Network offers free guidance and a wealth of resources to groups wanting to set up their own community fridge, including comprehensive support, design assets, peer support, health and safety templates as well as discounted fridges and freezers.

Once set up, groups will be part of the 300+ member strong Community Fridge Network (scroll down to the map, halfway down the page, to see where Community Fridges are located across the UK) which helps redistribute surplus food from businesses and households within the community, saving it from going to waste and bringing people together. Anyone and everyone can share and gift from a Community Fridge.

Grants of up to £4,000 are available to non-profit organisations across the UK to establish a new Community Fridge to minimise food waste. 50 awards are available in each round.

Grants can be used for:

o Community Fridge volunteer expenses.
o Insurance for the Community Fridge.
o Print display materials.
o Purchasing fridge/freezer(s).
o Relevant training (food hygiene, safeguarding).
o Staffing costs for the Community Fridge, and/or
o Utilities relating to the Community Fridge (water, electricity).

For further information, guidance and to access the online application form, please visit the Hubbub Foundation website.

The next application deadline is Sunday 30th October 2022.