FOOD CONNECT
In June 2020 The Old Bath House and Community Centre and Hubbub launched Food Connect, “a zero emissions service to take good food further”.
Food Connect aims to redistribute food that is perfectly good to eat but would otherwise go to waste. The project uses three e-cargo bikes and an e-van to trial the zero-emissions service in Milton Keynes and help MK’s Network of community fridges to share even more good food. Food Connect and our network of community fridges currently sharing over 3 tons of surplus food a week to more than 1000 households in Milton Keynes.
The pilot took place between September 2020 to February 2021. We also ran a Covid response service during the first lockdown and have since been awarded the Global Good Awards Bronze award for COVID Crisis Champions of 2021.
To date we have created 8 fairly paid green jobs and the team have saved more than 1375 tonnes of good food from going to waste – the equivalent of over 3 million meals! Our zero-emission fleet has traveled over 100k miles saving over 30 tonnes of transport emissions, promoting sustainable transport and improving air quality in our city.
A similar service was launched in Camberwell, London in March 2023. There are now three locations in London – www.foodconnet.io
Wolverton Community Fridge
Opening times are:
Wednesday – 18.00-19.00
Saturday – 12.30-13.30
MK Community Fridge began as two fridges and one freezer located in the foyer here at The Old Bath House Community Centre. Wolverton Community Fridge launched on Saturday 1 July 2017 and in it’s first two years has diverted more than 48 tonnes of food from the bin to the people of MK.
Over the past seven years community fridges have been launched by Woughton Community Council in Coffee Hall, Netherfield Vineyard Church, Great Linford Parish Council, Conniburrow Community Fridge, Shenley Brook End Parish Council, Deanshanger Primary School, Tinkers Bridge Residents Association, Water Eaton Church and most recently Glebe Farm School. If it’s your first time or you are unsure of how to use the service, please ask one of the team who will be able to help you.
To find out more about community fridges in Milton Keynes please visit: www.mkcommunityfridge.org
There are now over 650 community fridges in the UK. If you would like to know more about the Community Fridge Network nationally, they’re featured on the Hubbub website. To find one near you check out the community fridge network map.