OUR VISION

Creating sustainable food systems by working closely with local businesses to save surplus food from landfill and educating local people in how to create less food waste

COMMUNITY

Community is at the heart of everything we do. We believe that everyone has a skill to share and involve local people from all ages, backgrounds and abilities in our project in an aim to be inclusive and have a large impact. Together we are stronger and can build a bright future and help our environment.

ENVIRONMENT

Our project encompasses a circular theme, within a small space we have created a beautiful oasis and haven which supports people, the community, insects and wildlife. With the introduction of our Seed Library, IncrEDIBLE garden and Community Fridge we have created a welcoming space were individuals can learn to grow together, and grow produce which can be shared with others through our Community Fridge project.

Visitor Feedback:

'A very much needed and fantastic local initiative - hats off to all volunteers involved.'

'The Garden always looks beautiful.'

'Well done to all the efforts and everyone involved it always looks beautiful any time of year.'

'Thank you all so much for running this project. It is making a difference.'

'So pleased to make use of surplus AND enjoy baking banana bread. Huge thanks to the volunteers.'

'Brilliant service and great work from everyone involved.'

Larne Community Fridge and Incredible Garden Action Project

Larne Community Fridge and IncrEDIBLE Garden is a Volunteer-led, inclusive, surplus saving project. The aim of this project is to reduce food waste and redistribute good quality, edible food to those who will use it, saving it from landfill. You do not need to be referred to use the community fridge, access is open to everyone if you would like an orange to eat whilst you stroll along the nearby promenade, or if you would like to use some items to top up your weekly shop.

The beautiful garden space, our IncrEDIBLE Garden Action Project, also aims to educate the local community in growing together, along with providing a beautiful space for all to enjoy. The garden targets the Public Health Agency's '5 Steps to wellbeing'; to Give, Connect, Take Notice, Be Active and Keep Learning. It also appeals to the senses; sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing. The garden includes a variety of fruit trees, fruit bushes, herbs, vegetables, pollinators and vibrant, scented flowers. We host a Seed Library for sharing and swapping seeds and plants, a Herbal Tea Bar for your to take some herbs and infuse in boiled water at home, a Free Little Book Library to swap and share your books and a chatty bench to combat isolation and loneliness (sit on the yellow bench if you would like to chat!) in our small space; there is something for everyone to enjoy!

You are always welcome to share seeds, learn how to seed save from your own plants and gardens, share surplus seedlings or surplus home grown fruit or vegetables or allotments into our community fridge project. Please feel free to get in touch for further details. We focus on a 'Plant to Plate' theme.

What is a Community Fridge?

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, local food businesses, producers and gardens.

Fridges are run by community groups in places such as schools, community centres, shops, community gardens and communal areas; their main purposes is saving fresh food from going to waste! We differ from a foodbank.

We are part of the UK wide Community Fridge Network run by Hubbub, for more information please visit:

www.hubbub.org.uk/the-community-fridge

We are also part of a wider network of community fridges across Mid and East Antrim Borough Council. These include:

Carrickfergus Community Fridge - Eden Allotments

Greenisland Community Fridge

Islandmagee Community Fridge- Islandmagee Community Garden


The beginning of our story:

A message from Project leader and Chairperson, Lynsey Poole:

'In 2020, after recognising a need within the local Larne area with lockdown restrictions meaning food business were closing at short notice creating a lot of food wastage, along with a massive 135% rise in increase in the use of local foodbanks in the short months of March - July, I had researched and proposed a Community Fridge Project via Extern as a Volunteer Community Champion. With initial £3,000 funding awarded to launch the project received from Extern, Communities in Transition, The Executive Office, and Department for Communities; the planning process began.

During this time, I was asked to consider applying to Eden Project Communities Community Camp. I was successful in my application, and through this I gained accreditation in a Prospect Awards Endorsed Programme in Creative Community Leadership. Following on from this, Eden Project Communities management had recommended that I join the pilot scheme, My Food Community, run by the Soil Association and Food for Life Get Togethers. Through this training programme I was able to converse with like minded community advocates who were interested in sustainable food systems, creating 'good food movements' within their local areas. I was awarded a grant of £1000 through My Food Community to create another project alongside the community fridge which brought other people together connecting over 'good food,' and the IncrEDIBLE Garden Action Project and Seed Library was born.

I was interested in having an inclusive project that supported the local community across all ages, backgrounds and abilities in a welcoming environment and provided a space to learn about food together. The project has a circular theme, from seed, to plant, to produce which in turn can be donated back into our community fridge project.

I am very grateful for the training and recommendations over the years, which provided me so much knowledge in community, connectedness and food project management. I am also grateful to the volunteers who have joined over the past year who have helped to build upon both projects. It certainly takes a village to run a community project! We have several volunteers who help with the running, stocking, collections, opening and closing of the community fridge and volunteers who also assist with their skills and talents in the community garden space, tending the plants, weeding, watering and planting. Everyone has a skill to share and without all of our volunteers this project wouldn't be possible.

We have recently planted a Community Orchard in Larne's Town Park, with apples, pears, plums and fruit bushes which will help support our project and increase our reach in years to come.'

Who manages and funds the project?

Larne Community Fridge & IncrEDIBLE Garden is a project envisioned by Lynsey Poole, Extern Larne Volunteer Community Health and Wellbeing Champion and founder of Larne Area Community Support Group. The Project is run by Larne Area Community Support Group and it's committee.

The project has been supported by Extern, Communities in Transition, The Northern Ireland Executive, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council and the Department for Communities.

Our garden space has been funded by the Soil association and Food for Life Get Togethers via the National Lottery Awards for All, through the My Food Community pilot scheme. We have also had support from the Asda Foundation Fund and Mid and East Antrim Borough Council along with individual donators and supporters such as Co-Op Ballynure, Legal Costings NI, Stronger Together wellbeing group and individual donations.

Both Community Fridge and Garden are run entirely by volunteers who use their skills, knowledge and time to run all aspects of this space for the benefit of the local community. Over 2 tonnes of food waste has been saved since our launch in April 2022.

Who supplies the fridge with food?

Our food surplus is collected by committed and trained volunteers through local food businesses, alongside Foodcloud and Fareshare. We currently collect from Asda Larne, Lidls Larne, Tesco Express Larne, Ann's Pantry of Larne and Co-Op Ballynure. Local allotment holders also donate surplus fruit and vegetables. Our project is proud to have a 5 star Environmental Health rating.

We cannot accept food from homes or individuals, however we do have an associated FoodShare facebook group which local people can use to share through the community that would otherwise go to waste. You can find the Community Foodshare group here:

Larne Community Foodshare

Larne Community Fridge opening hours:

Tuesdays:
10:30am (While stocks Last)

Thursdays:

10:30am (While stocks Last)

Occasionally we have 'flash openings' dependent on Volunteer availability if we receive additional surplus. Please follow our Facebook Page for Up to date information on these.

The Community garden, Seed Library and Book Library is always open.

Larne Community Garden

Larne Promenade

Tower Road

Larne
BT40 1AB

(behind Larne Leisure Centre and opposite the seafront carpark at Larne Promenade)




Please follow us on Facebook for up to date information. Link Below:

   AWARD WINNING

LARNE INCREDIBLE GARDEN COMMUNITY ACTION PROJECT - RUNNER UP MEA 'IN BLOOM' COMPETITIONS 2022

We are proudly supported by all these wonderful organisations:

In order for things to run smoothly, we have implemented the following rules for our project users. We kindly ask you to follow these small rules when attending the Community Fridge:

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