'Community fridge' wins top prize at Chamber Champion awards
A ‘community fridge’ at a Telford school, set up to ensure local people have access to fresh food and drink during the Covid-19 lockdown, has won two top awards.
The facility has been created Wrekin View primary school in Wellington with a simple message to local people: “Take what you want . . . donate if you can.”
It won the ‘Good Neighbour’ award at Shropshire Chamber of Commerce’s Chamber Champion Awards on Friday night – then went on to lift the overall ‘Champion of Champions’ trophy after a live public vote.
The competition, which was live streamed, was set up by the Chamber to recognise individuals and organisations going the extra mile to help the county through the Covid-19 period.
Headteacher Adrian Pembleton, who joined a live Zoom call during the event when the results were announced, explained: “We are passionate about providing a service to our local community wherever we can, and this is the latest example.”
The community fridge – where everything is free - includes fresh milk, bread, fruit and vegetables, plus cereals, potatoes, pasta, tinned meals, and a variety of washing and cleaning products.
The school’s site manager Russell Garner is the driving force behind the project.
He said: “It started with an idea around holiday hunger, and making sure we could provide meals for our children, and the local community, during school holidays.
“We have been incredibly touched by the acts of kindness which have helped us to grow this project.
“Local businesses and organisations that are helping us include Dodd Group, Tesco Express Wellington, FareShare, and All Saints Church. We want to say a big thank-you to them all.
Wrekin View is part of the Learning Community Trust (LCT), which also includes Hadley Learning Community, Charlton and Ercall Wood secondary schools, plus Queensway Special School, and HLC primary.
Dr Gill Eatough, executive principal and chief executive of the Trust, said: “We are so proud of the Wrekin View team for this fantastic initiative.
“It has been fabulous to see the way in which staff, students, businesses and community organisations have worked together to get this initiative off the ground.”
