Malvern Link Community Fridge REVAMP!

The environment

The Community Fridge continues to be a vital project, combining environmental sustainability with practical care and community building. Operating from Ascension Hall on Monday mornings and Wednesday afternoons, it redistributes surplus supermarket food, preventing around one tonne of food from going to landfill every month. By ensuring edible food is shared rather than discarded, the project reduces greenhouse gas emissions, makes better use of the natural resources invested in producing that food, and supports a more sustainable local food system. Through improved partnerships and a new redistribution system, any uncollected food is now passed on to The Foyer and St Mary's Community Fridge, ensuring that as little surplus food as possible goes to waste while maximising its benefit to the wider community.

The local economy

The project has supported the local economy by strengthening partnerships with local businesses and organisations. Through our work with supermarkets, we ensure surplus food is redistributed within the community rather than wasted, helping businesses reduce disposal costs while supporting local households. The improvements to our facilities have enabled us to handle greater volumes of food safely and efficiently, while our growing volunteer team contributes thousands of hours of unpaid service that supports the local community. By helping people stretch their household budgets through access to good-quality food, the Community Fridge also allows families to direct more of their income towards other essential local goods and services, benefiting the wider local economy. By redistributing around 12 tonnes of surplus food each year, the Community Fridge helps local retailers avoid disposal costs, ensures edible food remains in the local economy rather than becoming waste, and reduces food costs for the 28 households who attend each session.

Volunteering, jobs & education

The project has strengthened volunteering by attracting four new volunteers during the year, all of whom have gone on to become involved in other aspects of parish life. The improved kitchen and facilities have created a safer, more organised environment for volunteers, making it easier to welcome and retain new team members. The Community Fridge also provides informal learning opportunities, with volunteers developing skills in food hygiene, stock management, customer service, teamwork and sustainability. By working alongside local organisations and participating in the district Food Action Network, volunteers also benefit from shared learning and best practice in community food redistribution.