Research tells usβ―thatβ―an astonishing five million tonnes ofβ―perfectly edibleβ―food get thrown away every year,β―and incredibly itβs worth around Β£15 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 wasβ―used to build houses, almost 4.7 million detached properties would fit onto it.
But how can we do our bit forΒ the environment?
Merton Street Mosque shows usΒ exactly how it can beΒ done.Β
Banbury is a historic market townβ―alongβ―the 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 ethnicβ―background. The project owes huge thanks to funding from Hello Fresh, the international meal-kit company, and support from Cherwellβs Sanctuary Housing Association through the βCommunity Investment Fundβ.
Supermarkets including Marks and Spencer, Tesco,β―and Waitrose, as well asβ―the main production store ofβ―Hello Fresh, are amongst those who have redistributed produceβ―from their local branchesβ―to theβ―Communityβ―Fridge. The health and safety legalities of the project mean that donations can only be acceptedβ―fromβ―food suppliers. The Fridge has ample produce with deliveries being made nearly every day of the year.
This Communityβ―Fridge is located inΒ theΒ Merton StreetΒ Mosque car park and allows peopleΒ toΒ safely park their vehicles,Β toΒ easily see what is available andΒ toΒ take whatever they need withoutΒ limit,Β with no one to answer to,β―andΒ complete anonymity.Β
The national reduction in food waste, ongoing since 2007, helped councils to save almost Β£70 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 asβ―road maintenance and local transport services.β―
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.
