Mayor Gives Grant to Local Community Fridge Project

The Mayor of Hailsham has donated £100 to the local community food project ‘Pass It On (In Your Community) CIC’, one of a number of recent grants given to local community groups and voluntary associations as a result of coming in under budget on his allocated allowance for the last financial year.

In his role as mayor, Cllr Paul Holbrook receives a yearly allowance to cover events and other costs associated with the office of Town Mayor, but in the previous financial year, he did not utilise all of the allowance and stated that he would donate what was remaining to eight local community groups, charities and other local initiatives.

Operating from the Old Forge Building in Hailsham town centre (rear of 45 High Street), Pass It On runs a community fridge, giving out over 2,000 bags of food every month. This food would have otherwise gone to landfill but is instead collected from supermarkets for distribution to anyone who may need it. The community fridge is open to the whole community and there is no means-testing involved, lengthy forms to fill in or referrals required.

Pass It On is always in need of any food, groceries, toys and other items to help local families.

“I’m pleased to offer a donation of £100 to Pass It On, which does a sterling job of sharing surplus food within the community to reduce food waste going to landfill,” said Cllr Holbrook. “It’s great to see that many supermarkets and retailers are only too pleased to see surplus food items – such as bread, meat, fruit and vegetables – go onto people’s dinner plates as opposed to being consigned to the bin.”

“I’m delighted to offer the project a small grant donation. Hailsham as a whole has a great community spirit and people here certainly look out for each other and by working together, we can all do our bit towards reducing the amount of food going to waste.”

For further information on the scheme, visit their social media page: https://www.facebook.com/people/Pass-It-On-In-Your-Community-CIC-Community-Fridge/100083061406097/.