Community Fridge

What is a Community Fridge?

Food waste is a big issue. Every year the average household throws away £470 of edible food.  A Community Fridge is a tried and tested way to preventing good quality food going to waste. Surplus food is provided by local businesses or members of the public and is then available for collection by people who have a use for it.

Mull and Iona Community Trust run a Community Fridge, to help combat local food waste, by sharing unused, good quality food.

Designs and promotion for the Community Fridge Network which aims to reduce food waste through the act of sharing food in the community.
Designs and promotion for the Community Fridge Network which aims to reduce food waste through the act of sharing food in the community.

Fridge Location

Aros Hall, Main Street, Tobermory, Isle of Mull. PA75 6NU 

 

Fridge Opening Times

9.30-2.30 every day of the week

Foods Accepted in the Community Fridge

Only donate food which is within its use by date and still sealed (unopened) in its original packaging. If it’s loose fruit or vegetables then these still need to be fresh.

We have a list of foods we can accept in the fridge (see below) and a list of foods we can’t accept in the fridge.  Please do not donate any food that’s on the exclusion list.

Only donate food if you don’t have use for it, not because it’s no longer edible.

If food comes with a use-by date it must be displayed on the item. Foods such as dairy, meat and prepared chilled foods must display a use-by date. Any high risk foods without a date will not be

accepted.

 

In the case of eggs, we can only accept traceable date stamped eggs. 

 

Foods We Can Accept

  • Sealed packaged foods
  • Cheeses
  • Fresh fruit
  • Fresh vegetables
  • Table sauces
  • Pastry
  • Unopened pasteurised / UHT milk and yogurt
  • Unopened fruit juices
  • Salads
  • Fresh eggs (traceable Lion stamped eggs with a use-by date)
  • Bread and bakery items
  • Cooking sauces and oils
  • Honey, jams, jellies and preserves
  • Sealed fermented or pickled food items (e.g. gherkins, olives, beetroot)
  • Tin cans (e.g. fruit, veg, soups, beans)
  • Packed cereals
  • Fruit with casing (e.g. citrus fruit, bananas, mangoes)
  • Dried goods (e.g. pasta, rice, grains, oats)
  • Biscuits, sweets and sugar confectionery
  • Coffee and tea

Foods We Can't Accept

  • Cooked food from your home or unregistered sources
  • Unpasteurised milk
  • Cooked rice
  • Raw milk cheeses
  • Pâtés
  • Bean sprouts
  • Products which could contain any of the above ingredients
  • Unlabelled multiple ingredient items
  • Alcohol
  • Products that contain alcohol
  • Energy drinks

Who Can Put Food Into the Fridge and Who Can Take Food Out of the Fridge?

The fridge is for everybody. Anyone can donate and anyone can take food from the fridge.

Surplus food can be donated by local food businesses, shops or members of the public, either holiday makers or local people.

Once the food is in the fridge it is then available for collection by people who need it or feel they could use it.

The fridge works on an honesty basis, no funds are paid for donated food and food is free to take from the fridge.

Donating Food To The Community Fridge

To enable us to measure the amount of food diverted from landfill, please complete the ‘Log In Form’.  To do this you will need to:

  1. Weigh your item or items on weighing scales.
  2. Log the item or items given to the fridge on the Community Fridge on the logging form, stating the date, food type and weight.
  3. If food is branded, put a strike through it so that it cannot go back on the market or be returned to store.
  4. Separate food types to reduce the risk of cross contamination. Observe the labelling system in the fridge, and put items in the right place within the fridge.

Taking Food From The Community Fridge

Anyone can take food from the fridge, if you feel you could use it. To enable us to measure the amount of food diverted from landfill, please complete the ‘Log Out Form’.  To do this you will need to:

  1. Read the Instructions for Use and Disclaimer before taking anything out of the fridge. This will be displayed on the fridge.
  2. Open the fridge and have a look at what’s inside. Don’t move food from the shelf that it’s on unless you intend to take it. Foods have be purposely segregated for health and safety.
  3. Use your own judgement as to whether or not the food is safe to eat. Never eat high risk foods such as meats and dairy products (cooked and raw) that are past the use-by dates. When it comes to items like loose fruit/veg and bread, use your senses!
  4. Please make a note of the food item on the logging out forms. This helps us to see how much food we are saving from being wasted.
  5. Report anything suspicious to a member of staff. Call us on 01680 812900 or email enquiries@mict.co.uk
  6. Wash all food before consumption.
  7. Heat any cooked food until it’s steaming hot (75°C), and don’t reheat it a second time.
  8. If the packaging or seal is broken do not eat.
  9. Seek medical advice immediately if I feel unwell after eating from the fridge, and also contact Mull and Iona Community Trust on 01680 812900 or email ebaxter@mict.co.uk
  10. Do not use the food for profit or personal gain.
Designs and promotion for the Community Fridge Network which aims to reduce food waste through the act of sharing food in the community.

Is it safe?

The Community Fridge will operate to the highest quality standards, following strict guidelines based on advice from the Food Standards Authority and the local Council’s Environmental Health Team.

The fridge will be monitored regularly and have a regular cleaning rota.  If you have any concerns please contact enquiries@mict.co.uk 

Further information

The Mull and Iona Community Fridge is part of a national Community Fridge Network established by HUBBUB, a UK based charity that creates environmental campaigns with a difference.  For more information visit www.hubbub.org 

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