A Lewes District food waste scheme has received an award from the High Sheriff

Havens Food Cooperative participated in an awards ceremony at the Hellingly Community Hub on March 12, hosted by the High Sheriff of East Sussex, Richard Bickersteth.

The cooperative is a scheme to reduce waste, repurpose items and redistribute food on a daily basis. The project was delighted to receive a commendation from High Sheriff Richard Bickersteth, acknowledging the project's exceptional and invaluable contributions to the community.

According to a spokesperson: “Our team is ecstatic about being part of such a meaningful event, where our dedication to community service was not only celebrated but also formally recognised.

"We extend our heartfelt gratitude to High Sheriff Richard Bickersteth for his ongoing support throughout the past year. Special appreciation also goes to our remarkable volunteer team, whose unwavering commitment to supporting the community and fighting against food waste has been instrumental in this project and its activities.”

Working under the umbrella of Havens Community Hub CIC, the cooperative prioritises families, groups and individuals with the highest need and ensures any surplus is not wasted. They are given short shelf-life, mis-labelled, wonky or overproduced food and items.

They use the food they rescue to assist both those who are in a position of food insecurity and those who want to help the environment by saving food from being sent to landfill. Any food they receive that is beyond its useful edible life is composted in their ‘Hot Bins’ and used by local gardeners to grow more produce to share.