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Sainsburys Waste Less, Save More Campaign: Co-creating Shrewsbury’s bid

Join our #ShrewsburyWasteLessSaveMore Campaign– click here to show your support.

Shrewsbury in a bid to become the Waste Less Save More Town

We had an amazing turn out at our Sainsburys Waste Less Save More community task force meeting on Monday 26th October. Over 50 people, including Shrewsbury’s Mayor, Councillor Miles Kenny, and Deputy Mayor, Councillor Ioan Jones (pictured above), and representing groups from across Shrewsbury came together to create ideas to tackle the huge problem of food waste in our town. Reducing our food waste would be great for Shrewsbury – families can save £700 a year by not wasting food; added benefits include a saving for Shropshire council of £260,000 not to mention the fact that it is just so much better to eat it rather than chuck it!

We already have great support for the bid throughout Shrewsbury (see map below) with Beth Heath from our very own Food Festival leading ideas on high profile events and Marcus Bean from Brompton Cookery School (pictured above) keen to get creative with inspiring recipes for leftovers but we need as many people as possible to get behind the bid this week. Please do fill out the questionnaire here.

 

       

We have a huge list of supporters co-creating this campagin, those below are backing our bid. Together we can win this!

Background

Shrewsbury Town Council is leading Shrewsbury’s bid to win £1m of investment to become the UK’s leading zero food waste town.

Sainsbury’s are seeking a UK town with a population of 15,000 to 300,000 to become the test bed for some of the most innovative ideas to reduce food waste. The selected town will receive a £1 million investment in the first year, and will be used as a blueprint so that communities across the country can benefit from the results.

Click here for details of the Challenge.

This is a fantastic opportunity to strengthen our food economy, to reduce poverty, to save money benefitting not only local families and households, but community groups and organisations whilst protecting the environment.

Closing date for entries is very tight with completed application forms being submitted by 30th October but there is nothing like tight deadlines for focussing the mind.

In beginning to co-ordinate this campaign it has become evident that already there are many initiatives that are supporting the reduction of foodwaste, encouraging people to value food, think about how they use it and consider ways that they can either reduce their waste or share with others in greater need.

In Shrewsbury, we have a great track record on food and some great initiatives happening now which we can build on and which put us in a strong position.  These include:

  • Transition’s Shrewsbury Loaf project emphasising the value of food;
  • The Ark and Hospice link up to use surplus food;
  • Celebration of local food in  local restaurants, local growers and shops
  • The Shrewsbury Food Festival which is committed to showcasing fabulous local food as well as to minimising waste;
  • Self Help Africa, a charity based in the town, celebrates World food Day;
  • Shrewsbury is the home of the Rubbish Diet, a simple way to slim your bin.

This campaign is about capturing the passion for food, the drive to reduce waste, the energy of our community and the pride we have in Shrewsbury. 

SHREWSBURY CAN BECOME SAINSBURY’S WASTE LESS TOWN.  Help us make it happen.

Councillor Alan Mosley, Leader of the Town Council said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to bring the town together over food, strengthening our communities and tackling food poverty as well as reducing food waste.   Our aim is to get as many people supporting our campaign to be Sainsbury’s Waste Less, Save More town.”

Local Celebrity Chef Marcus Bean said: “I am wholeheartedly behind this campaign.  I have a passion for food and anything that can encourage people to value food by storing it better, cooking it differently and introducing it into meals that they wouldn’t have otherwise thought of is fantastic.”