RESIDENTS struggling to make ends meet amid surging food prices will be helped by a new community project.

A community fridge will be opened outside Hadleigh Library in London Road in the new year.

The fridge will be open to all residents, offering residents a judgment-free opportunity to restock their own fridges for free, while also combatting food waste.

Councillor Jacqui Thornton has said: “I am pleased to say that after a highly productive meeting including officers from ECCs library service, we have been selected to host our community fridge in Hadleigh Library.

“Anyone will be welcome to take what they need from the fridge, you will be doing your bit to reduce food waste and help save the planet, and in difficult times, the fridge can also help residents with the cost-of-living crisis.

“This is a pilot project, a supplement to the libraries warm spaces program. Our objective is to help eliminate food waste, so using the fridge is not means tested and nobody will be judged."

A community fridge is a space that brings people together to eat, connect, learn new skills and reduce food waste.

It is a site where local people can share food, this includes surplus from supermarkets, food businesses, producers, households and gardens

There are currently over 300 fridges across the UK.

In 2021, charity Hubbub estimates the community fridge network redistributed around 3,150 tonnes of surplus food (that's the same as 7.5 million meals) following more than 1 million visits from 250,000 users.

In south Essex there are already two community fridges in operation: one in Alton Gardens, Southend, and a second in Hardie Park, Stanford-le-Hope.

Ms Thornton added: “I’ve secured funding for the fridge itself thanks to the Hadleigh Community Group. But the project now needs to rally a team of volunteers to get it running.

“Initially, the fridge will be stocked and open for a couple of sessions a week, each few hours long and with one of our volunteers on hand for help and advice.”

If you would like to get involved, email: cllrjthornton@castlepoint.gov.uk