Pay As You Feel cafe in Hebden Bridge
Monday, 23 May 2016
The Real Junk Food Project Calderdale to officially open a Pay As You Feel Café in Hebden Bridge, Thursday 26 May 2016, 12 Midday
A group of volunteers will open a 'pay as you feel' cafe in Hebden Bridge inspired by the nationally successful The Real Junk Food Project.
The Café, located on the first floor of Salem Mill, Hebden Bridge will officially open on Thursday 26 May at 12noon.
Volunteers of the Café work with local food producers and retailers to use products that would otherwise go to landfill to create healthy, nutritious meals.
Operating on a 'pay as you feel' donation basis, the Café also offers cooking courses and community events to educate people about food waste.
In the future, the Café aims to employ volunteers, all of whom are trained to use food waste safely, to take on roles such as kitchen manager, catering chef and volunteer coordinator.
The new Café is supported by Soup Dragon, another volunteer-run, 'pay as you feel' food-waste-rescuing Café and it shares space with Shallot Café, an independent vegetarian / vegan pop-up bistro (not pay-as-you-feel).
The first Real Junk Food Café opened in Leeds in December 2013. In its first year it saved 23 tonnes of food waste from being sent to landfill, fed 12,000 meals to over 10,000 people and has led to a network of cafes continually opening worldwide – from Sheffield to Australia.
The Real Junk Food Project is designed to be short-term. The goal is to raise awareness and educate people about the issue of food waste and the need to change the food system.
Laura Holmes, volunteer at The Real Junk Food Project said, "We believe there is a need for a Real Food Junk Café in every area, to provide a space where people can socialise, eat a healthy, nutritious meal and pay for it however they can – whether with money, volunteering and / or through donations. The Café also provides a valuable space where we can educate people on the huge issue of food waste.
"We hope the Calderdale Real Junk Food Café will provide a much needed service for our area and wider community."