Lidl Lydney

We help families to top up there food shopping each week that are struggling in the current finicial crisis are aim is to help more people

We are a team of local people that have come together with the common goal of setting up a Community Fridge here in Chepstow. We all want to play a part in addressing food waste. Preventing waste going into landfill , bring a community hub together whilst also helping food poverty. The food will be available to everyone who wants to use it. We have been running a Facebook page keeping everyone updated of its progress. Via this we have an list of willing volunteers. Starting from 3 people in February we are now a fully formed committee of seven. We have a constitution, opened a bank account, we applied and recieved funding for equipment and equired a premises. Which fingers crossed is ready tomorrow. All committee members passed the Health and Hygiene requirements level 2 at the weekend with on online credited association. We have the full support of our local County Council and the use of our local volunteer training Co ordinater. Both have attended all our meetings. We are also registered with Hubbub . We have always maintained our goal and keeping that in sight met on a monthly basis, via zoom and just recently in person. Planning the fridge step by step, revisiting ideas , learning from other local Community Fridges by visiting and talking to people also taking guidance from Hubbub. We have made trips to Caldicot, Monmouth , Bristol and to Upton on Severn. I helped set up the Monmouth Community Fridge.

Ross Community Garden is a vibrant, social and therapeutic space set in a 3-acre site in the heart of Ross. We offer a supportive environment with a special focus on individuals facing mental health challenges, learning disabilities or long-term unemployment. As well as indoor and outdoor growing areas, the Garden has several features designed to support biodiversity, including a pond, insect houses, bee hives, wood piles and two dry hedges. Zero Waste is one of the projects within the Community Garden in Ross-on-Wye. We started in November 2020 and have been open on Mondays - Saturdays every since. We collect waste from the supermarkets in the town (Aldi, Sainsbury's and Co-op) and give the food out to our service users. The food is given out free of charge as we aim to provide fresh food that improves diet and also help household budgets stretch further allowing users to access help without stigma. We also work in partnership with Fareshare. The Zero Waste is known and respected in the community. Our work has been recognised with a community partner award by Morrisons, has been featured in the county's newspaper as an leading example of efforts to reduce food waste, has received grants and supports from several local businesses and Ross Lions and has even been featured on an episode of 'Escape to the Country'. The Community Gardens also run other services such as a school uniform bank, a primary school's programme to educate about growing food, family support and gardening and mentoring services. We run occasional cookery clubs.