VOLUNTEERS are needed to help run a new community fridge offering free food to those who need it in the Tamar Valley.

The community fridge will be situated behind the Co-op at Drakewalls, with the intention being to install it by April.

The Tamar Valley Community Food Project is being spearheaded by Mai Evans, who is the area’s community connector for the LiveWest housing association.

As a forerunner to the community fridge being installed, the project has been running a free food collection, touring car parks in Callington, Harrowbarrow, St Ann’s Chapel and Gunnislake every Wednesday morning. Already, nearly 200 people are using the service.

The project aims to reduce waste and stop perfectly good food going into the general rubbish as well as help local people facing hardship.

Mai said: ‘The people of the Tamar Valley have been amazing and supportive to our food waste project so far, by either volunteering, donating or by using the project. However, we are in need of volunteers to run the mobile community larder from April onwards.

‘Once we have the permanent fridge which will be open access seven days a week and will hopefully be launched in April, then we’ll need more volunteers to collect donated food for it and also to monitor and clean it.

‘Just as important is our need for more sources of surplus food so please bring us those tins or packets long lurking in the back of your cupboard and homegrown fruit and vegetables.’

With nearly 200 people a week benefiting from the food waste project currently, there is a need for more volunteers to help coordinate donations.

This continues work by the project with the Cornwall Gleaning Network as well as the Community Larder Network coordinated by Treverbyn Community Trust. Anyone interested in getting involved can contact Mai Evans on [email protected] or [email protected]