Research tells usโฏthatโฏan astonishing five million tonnes ofโฏperfectly edibleโฏfood get thrown away every year,โฏand incredibly itโs worth around ยฃ15 billion. To put this into perspective, the wasted food would fill 9 Wembley Stadiums, 100 Royal Albert Halls or 4,000 Olympic sized swimming pools. An area almost the size of Wales would be needed to produce the food and drink currently wasted. If that land wasโฏused to build houses, almost 4.7 million detached properties would fit onto it.
But how can we do our bit forย the environment?
Merton Street Mosque shows usย exactly how it can beย done.ย
Banbury is a historic market townโฏalongโฏthe River Cherwell in Oxfordshire. In November 2018 the main Mosque of this small town launched a Community Fridge project to prevent perfectly good food from being thrown away.
Local residents, often lovingly referred to as Banbarians, can collect provisions such as pastries, bread, fruit, spices and vegetables nearing their sell by date for absolutely no charge whatsoever, regardless of economic, social or ethnicโฏbackground. The project owes huge thanks to funding from Hello Fresh, the international meal-kit company, and support from Cherwellโs Sanctuary Housing Association through the โCommunity Investment Fundโ.
Supermarkets including Marks and Spencer, Tesco,โฏand Waitrose, as well asโฏthe main production store ofโฏHello Fresh, are amongst those who have redistributed produceโฏfrom their local branchesโฏto theโฏCommunityโฏFridge. The health and safety legalities of the project mean that donations can only be acceptedโฏfromโฏfood suppliers. The Fridge has ample produce with deliveries being made nearly every day of the year.
This CommunityโฏFridge is located inย theย Merton Streetย Mosque car park and allows peopleย toย safely park their vehicles,ย toย easily see what is available andย toย take whatever they need withoutย limit,ย with no one to answer to,โฏandย complete anonymity.ย
The national reduction in food waste, ongoing since 2007, helped councils to save almost ยฃ70 million in 2015 alone. By sending less food to wastage centres, lower landfill charges are incurred and councils are able to spend more on the needs of the local population, such asโฏroad maintenance and local transport services.โฏ
So, not only does Merton Street Mosque show us how to look after the Earth we live on, but also how to make a place of worship accessible to all, regardless of race, religion or economic background.
By Huma Baig
The adventurous spirit behind the pages of British Muslim magazine. As the Editor-in-Chief, Natasha leads with a passion for exploration and a pen dipped in wanderlust. With a keen eye for halal travel experiences and an insatiable curiosity for new experiences, she brings readers along on captivating journeys to far-flung destinations. Through her vibrant storytelling, Natasha invites readers on enriching adventures, where every experience is a window into the muslim world.
