A Community larder in Cornwall has managed to save and redistribute a whole ton of surplus food.
The Helston Community Larder, which was set up by members of the Helston Climate Action Group, has been running for 16 weeks with volunteers coming in every Tuesday and Friday to help collect and share out surplus foods.
This week has seen an impressive milestone met, with one ton of food having now been distributed by the larder.
According to the larder, all of Helston’s supermarkets are donating surplus food to the larder, along with local businesses including the Natural Store, Rowe’s & Philps bakers, Origin Coffee and Cornish Seasalt.
Every Tuesday and Friday teams of volunteers go out to collect surplus food and bring back to the Family Hub, next to Nansloe School.
In the afternoon more volunteers come in to set up and run the larder, which has seen 400 visits in the time it has been running, and is feeding 30-40 families a week.
Katharine Lewis, one of the organisers of the Helston Community Larder, said: "It has been wonderful to see our community come together to tackle food waste and help get food to where is it is needed, and to see local connections forming and strengthening week upon week.
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"This project is as much about building a stronger, more resilient, caring community as it is about addressing a pressing environmental problem that affects everyone – and the planet.
"We are always looking for new volunteers, whether this be on a regular or occasional basis.
"Volunteer opportunities include collecting food from local supermarkets and businesses, helping set up and run the larder, and helping with admin and advertising."
According to The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) food waste is one of the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases, with producing food requiring significant resources including land, energy and water.
"Globally, 25—30% of total food produced is lost or wasted, and food waste is estimated by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to contribute 8-10% of total man-made greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
"If food waste were a country, it would be the world’s third largest emitter after China and the USA."
If you're interested in getting involved with the Helston Community Larder or the Helston Climate Action Group, visit: helstonclimateaction.earth
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