Halstead's cafes and supermarkets are being urged not to be “lazy” and to get on board with a scheme aimed at tackling food waste.

The community fridge, which is based in the Lodge Gate building in the Causeway, has already saved an estimated £300 in food waste since it was launched last month.

The fridge provides residents and businesses a place to donate unwanted food which would be otherwise thrown away and wasted. Anyone is welcome to take the food left in the fridge.

Trustees who run the Halstead Community Fridge say they are delighted with the response from the town, with much of the donated food being taken by residents.

However, with food supplies sometimes running low, the trustees are now calling on the town’s cafes and supermarkets to get involved to keep stocks up.

A spokesman said: “Sainsburys has been consistent in its support of the project, regularly donating sizeable amounts of surplus perishable food, and the fridge trustees and volunteers are very grateful for this.

“Donations have also come from some allotment holders.

“The donated food has clearly been appreciated by local residents, as there is rarely anything left at the end of the day, and sometimes people are waiting for it to open.

“The trustees are appealing to local businesses, other supermarkets, and cafes to become part of this community project. Regular donations on fixed days would make it easier to manage.”

Trustees informed the Gazette during the launch of the scheme that many supermarkets in the town had agreed in principal to donate surplus food to the fridge.

While businesses are being urged to make donations, members of the public are also welcome to make donations.

Speaking at the launch of the scheme, trustee Sandra Dingle said: “I want to obliterate food waste and like our strapline says, ‘share it, don’t waste it’.

“This is important because everyone wastes so much food these days. I also want to make it clear it’s not only for the supermarket and restaurants, but also for people going away or with food they don’t want.”

Anyone wanting to find out more information about the community fridge is asked to email sandra@ celebritysecrets.co.uk.