Based at our student residences and the Students' Union, the Community Fridges collect surplus food from local supermarkets and make it freely available to students, staff and members of the local community.
Since the initiative began in 2017, more than 221 tonnes of surplus food has been redistributed through the fridges rather than going to waste.
And the scheme is now busier than ever. Every day, the Community Fridges:
- rescue around 700 food items
- redistribute approximately 120kg of food
- provide food with an estimated retail value of around £1,400
- are visited by an average of 70 people.
With the fridges open 364 days a year, that adds up to more than 25,000 visits each year.
As well as reducing food waste and its associated environmental impact, the Community Fridges provide practical support for our University community. With the cost of living continuing to put pressure on household budgets, they provide students with free access to good food that would otherwise have gone to waste.
Putting sustainability into practice
Reducing waste and making better use of the resources we already have is an important part of the University’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy.
The strategy commits us to embedding circular economy principles across the University, moving beyond simply recycling waste to prioritising reduction, reuse and redistribution. It also recognises the opportunity to turn University resources into community benefit and contribute to a fairer, greener and more resilient Sheffield.
The Community Fridges are a great example of what that looks like in practice - preventing good food from becoming waste while making sure it reaches people who can use it.
Could you help keep the fridges running?
The success of the Community Fridges depends on volunteers, and we’re now looking for more University staff who can give some of their time to support the scheme.
There are a range of ways to get involved, including:
- collecting surplus food from local supermarkets
- transporting and sorting donations
- stocking and organising the fridges
- helping to keep the fridges clean and safe
- engaging with students and the wider community.
You don’t need to make a major time commitment. Whether you can help regularly or offer occasional support, your time can help us continue rescuing hundreds of food items every day.
If you're interested in helping keep our community fridges running and helping more people, please contact Andrew Woffindin, Contracts and Environmental Coordinator, ACS, for an initial chat.