It started with a single fridge in a shed, filled with good quality food that might otherwise be wasted.
The contents of the community larder were made available to everyone in the Muir of Ord area to dip into as and when they were in need.
And the green project has proved so successful that similar initiatives could soon be found across the Highlands.
The interest created by the Muir of Ord (MOO) Food community fridge initiative has inspired its founder, Emma Whitham, to set up the charity Eco Foodshare Larders.
It’s aim is to help secure funding to help others start their own projects.
The idea behind the initiative is that in-date food, which would otherwise go to waste, is placed in the community larder and made available to everyone, but it has already grown to be so much more.
In Muir of Ord, the fridge is open between 8am and 10pm, and locks electronically overnight.
It is looked after and kept clean by children from Tarradale Primary through the week, and by adult volunteers at weekends.
Local businesses, including the Co-op, Tesco and Munro Butchers, now all contribute and seasonal produce grown in local gardens and planters also finds its way to the fridge.
Ms Whitham said: “It’s a platform for sharing surplus food.
“It might be a glut of something in season, or food that would otherwise be wasted if you are going on holiday or away for the weekend, for example.
“It’s about sharing and looking after each other. There is no stigma around it. It is not a foodbank.
“It’s also about sourcing and redistributing food headed for landfill and reducing greenhouse gas emissions through reducing food waste.”
Future community fridges may be placed inside sheds to act more as larders, with a freezer and shelves for non-perishables.
Ms Whitham said: “I’m also considering having a top shelf for sanitary products for women, broadening the idea to share more than food.”
She and Eco Foodshare Larder trustees Rachel Butterworth, Iain Mckenzie and Gary Gruberare, are currently helping a group in Dingwall to set up their community fridge, and in a possible nationwide first, are working with Inverness College to provide a fridge for hard-up students.
Ms Whitham, formerly a lecturer at UHI, said: “Some students are financially struggling so I thought why don’t we get them a fridge, and an e.bike to go and collect the food.
“They are really into it and have been developing the concept with Inverness College’s joinery and graphics staff.”
Between April 2019 and February this year, more than 1,200lb of edible food has gone through the Moo fridge, almost double the amount of the previous year.
Ms Whitham said: “All of this food being redirected and eaten instead of going to landfill has saved an estimated 2 tons of carbon dioxide going into the atmosphere and contributing to climate change.”
