As the first community fridge of its kind in Sandwell, it has quickly become a much‑loved and essential part of the Dorothy Parkes Centre, helping to reduce food waste, improve health, tackle inequalities and strengthen community connections.

A Year of Impact: Food Saved, Bellies Filled, Waste Reduced

Since opening in January 2025, Dottie’s Community Fridge has redistributed:

• 5.80 tonnes of food

• 197 litres of milk and juice

To put that into perspective:

• 5.80 tonnes is roughly the weight of an African elephant, or the same as about 4 small cars.

• 197 litres is enough liquid to fill a large household bathtub, or around 400 cartons of school milk.

This is food that would otherwise have gone to waste — instead, it has gone straight to local families, individuals and community groups who need it.

Environmentally, saving 5.80 tonnes of food prevents around 23 tonnes of CO₂ emissions (based on widely used food‑waste carbon estimates). That’s the same as:

• Driving a car over 70,000 miles

• Charging 3 million smartphones

• The annual carbon absorption of 38 trees

A huge win for both people and the planet.

More Than a Fridge — A Community Hub

Thanks to fresh produce from our community allotment, surplus food from FareShare and Incredible Surplus, and donations from Aldi and local convenience stores, the fridge has made healthy, varied food more accessible for everyone.

The fridge is free to use, with the main aim of reducing food waste — but for many, it has also eased the financial pressure of buying nutritious food.

Here’s what our visitors have said:

“The fridge is a fantastic way of providing fresh, varied and affordable food to the local community. I’ve sampled food I would not usually buy at shop prices. It has provided healthy options to the community, including myself.”

“I had a homemade bean chilli which was lovely. This was different to what I usually eat and was something new to try.”

These stories show how the fridge is not only improving diets but also encouraging people to try new foods, share recipes and connect with others.

Many regular visitors now stay on after fridge opening times to join activities such as Chatty Cafe, Places of Welcome, Fun Fit and Soup & Social. The fridge nourishes people physically and emotionally — and has quickly become our most popular initiative.

Food Brings People Together — And Dottie’s Community Fridge Proves It

Thank you to everyone who has donated, volunteered, visited or supported the fridge over the past year. Together, we’ve saved food, supported families, protected the environment and built a stronger community.

Here’s to many more years of Dottie’s Community Fridge — and many more elephants’ worth of food saved from the bin.