What food can i donate?

Food accepted:

  • Packaged goods within ‘use by’ date
  • Unpackaged fruit and veg that is still good to eat
  • Food past its ‘best before’ date but within its ‘use by’ date that is still good to eat
  • Lion stamped eggs
  • Cooked food from registered businesses

Food NOT accepted:

  • Raw meat or raw seafood
  • Opened milk or other packaged food
  • Half eaten food
  • Any food previously frozen
  • Any cooked food not from a registered food business
  • Alcohol

how do i donate food?

  1. Read the guidelines above on what food the Fridge accepts
  2. Bring food along to the Fridge during opening hours
  3. Give food to a volunteer to log donations in

how can i help further?

Consider being a volunteer
We need help manning the Fridge, cleaning it, collecting food, taking deliveries, PR & marketing, admin, fundraising, you name it! If you want to help out in any way, please contact us directly at [email protected]

Donate money

how do i know the food is safe to eat?

  • We check the food, monitor the temperature and clean the Fridge regularly
  • Users also have a responsibility – see our guidelines below and disclaimer

Guidelines:

  • Heat up any cooked food until it is steaming hot (75°C), and not reheat it a second time.
  • Wash all unpackaged foods, and packaged foods where necessary, before consumption.
  • Any frozen food should must be completely thawed, cooked thoroughly where necessary, and consumed within 24 hours.
  • Do not consume unpasteurised milk, cooked rice, raw milk cheeses, pâtés, bean sprouts, cooked food from an uncertified kitchen, products which could contain any of the above ingredients.
  • Notify a member of staff if these items   are found in the fridge.
  • Use your senses; smelling and looking at the food before eating it, if in doubt don’t eat it! You take food from the fridge at your own risk, please read the disclaimer.

DISCLAIMER

Although we have put in place precautions to safeguard the hygiene and quality of all items in the Community Fridge, we may not be able to guarantee and verify all items donated to the fridge.  Although the risk of food contamination is low, it is not zero.  Users take food at their own risk and Chesham Community Fridge is not liable for any harm caused to the fridge user in the event of products being contaminated.

PLEASE FOLLOW THE GUIDANCE PROVIDED BELOW:

  • Do not take or consume any item that appears past its use-by date.
  • Do not take or consume any item that smells gone-off or appears suspicious for any other reason.
  • Do not take or consume any item if you have an allergy (we can’t guarantee that there has been no contamination of opened products).
  • Do not take or consume any item if you have a vulnerable immune system (the elderly, infants under 5, expectant women or individuals with a serious or long-term medical condition are especially at risk).
  • Do not take from the fridge if temperature appears to be abnormal. Ask a member of fridge staff to check this immediately if you feel this is the case.
  • Only take food cooked or prepared by certified businesses. The label should state the preparation date, use-by date and the name of the business.
  • Do not take food on the exclusion list. Notify a member of staff if these items are found in the fridge or if you have any questions on the above.