Tower and Town, September 2021

  (view the full edition)

Marlborough's Community Fridge

The Marlborough Community Fridge is a joint initiative between Marlborough Town Council and Transition Marlborough, opened in early June it joins a growing number, 150+, operating around the country, offering space for the sharing of surplus food. All food is free and everyone is welcome to bring and/or take.

It is in the Community Room at Coopers Corner in George Lane Car Park (essentially behind the loos!), open from 10.00am to 2.00pm Thursdays and Saturdays, with regular contributions from local stores as well as from individuals.

Millions of tonnes of food are chucked away in the UK – that’s a waste of money for many reasons: at the till, waste disposal costs, growing it in the first place (chemicals, water, transport etc) and, perhaps most important as we face the ever greater threats from climate change, the emissions as it rots in landfill, releasing methane, a more powerful greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. There is also a high cost to our global biodiversity as land for growing food takes space from nature.

Aside from using the Community Fridge, more volunteers would be very welcome to cover the weekly rota and in time, to extend this. There are already a good number and therefore the demand need not be onerous on any individual; you can help regularly or on an ad hoc basis. If you are interested, contact Clare Harris, Assistant Town Clerk, who compiles a google rota for two weeks ahead. (charris@marlborough-tc.gov.uk)

It is also sociable as, aside from meeting and chatting to fridge users, there are always two people on together, either for a two hour shift or less when collecting from a store.

By supporting the Community Fridge, you are helping tackle the obscenity of food waste, with the national network redistributing over 3000 tonnes of surplus food annually.

Jo Ripley