Join the Community Fridge Network

Before jumping in, take a moment to check whether setting up a community fridge is the right move for your group and your community:

• You're clear on why you want to set up a fridge
  • Groups start fridges for lots of reasons. Take a moment to think about why reducing food waste matters to you, and what you hope it will achieve locally. Take a read of Hubbub's ethos to see if we share the same motivations.
• There isn't already a fridge nearby
  • Have a look around. Are there already food projects or fridges in your area?
    • If yes, could you support or collaborate with them instead of duplicating what already exists?
    • If no, great news - there's a real opportunity to make a difference.
• You're part of an official community group or charity
  • You can't set up a fridge as an individual. You'll need to be part of an established community group, charity or similar organisation. This allows you to:
    • Register as a good business
    • Get public liability insurance
    • Open a bank account to manage your funds
  • If you're not yet set up, look into how to formally establish your group before registering to join the Community Fridge Network.
• There's local interest and support for the project
  • A fridge works best when the community wants it. Speak to local residents, community groups and partners. What do they think? Would they use it? Support it? Volunteer? Early conversations make a big difference.
• There's surplus food available to collect locally
  • Check there's perfectly good food in your area that would otherwise go to waste. This could come from local farms, allotment associations, food producers, cafes, hotels, and shops.
  • You can also sign up to online platforms like Caboodle, Neighbourly, and Foodiverse which help arrange food collection slots with local supermarkets, making it easy for you to pick up surplus food.
• You have the time and people to run a community fridge
  • Running a community fridge takes commitment. You'll need to manage food, volunteers and activities. Make sure you have the capacity before getting started. 

The Community Fridge Network is open to community groups and organisations that have set up (or are planning to set up) a community fridge that's free and open to everyone in your local community.

To join, you must:

• Agree to the network's ethos
• Be a constituted group with public liability insurance
• Register your fridge as a food business with your local authority and receive a food hygeine rating
• Risk assess and demonstrate that your health and safety procedures have the approval of your local Environmental Health Officer
• Agree to capture and report back on the impact of your fridge
• Have a secure covered space for the fridge/freezers available to the public

Community fridges reduce food waste, increase access to fresh food that would otherwise go to waste and offer a place for communities to come together, support one another and learn from each other. Learn about their impact here.
 

It's ideal to have a dedicated, accessible space like a community centre, church, or shared hall. Yet, many successful fridges have started in alternative spaces, too! If you don’t manage your own space you might be able to ask local partners who do to help out.

It's usually better to collaborate than duplicate. Reach out and see how you can support each other.

While initial funds can be helpful, many fridges start on a shoestring budget. The CFN provides tips about how to set a budget – plus find out from other groups to hear how they raised funds to get started.

All fridges are required to register as a food business, follow best practice procedures and have food safety training for its staff. 

Hubbub doesn't have an official food safety advisory role. Instead, we have a useful resource available to help signpost you to information that will help you safely run your community fridge.

Nope! We're all about fostering community, and there's no fee to join.

Find out if there's food going to waste in your area that a fridge could use. Local farms, allotment associations, food producers, cafes, hotels, and food shops might have perfectly good food that they just can't use. Online platforms like Caboodle, Neighbourly, and Foodiverse can also help liaise with supermarkets to procure surplus food.

Setting up a fridge means doing some legal stuff. It’s only possible to do this as an official community group or charity rather than trying to do so on your own. This way, you can get registered as a food business, get public liability insurance and even a bank account to manage your funds.

Don’t know where to start in terms of creating a group? Check out My Community.
 

Almost always, yes! But fear not, the CFN offers guidance on recruitment, training, and volunteer management to ensure a smooth operation.

It varies depending on the size and number of days you might want to open, but opening and running a fridge takes time and hard work. You'll need to manage food, food safety, volunteers, and visitors. The best way to find out is to use our map and arrange a visit to your local fridge

Absolutely! Businesses can share surplus food, volunteer time, or provide other resources. Reach out to your local fridge through our map.

Absolutely! Any community-minded organisation that's keen to reduce food waste and make good food accessible to everyone is welcome to set up a community fridge. Just make sure it's free and open to everyone in the community. The more the merrier!