Seaton Library's community fridge receives needed upgrade

The upgrade is a custom-built display unit for foods that do not need refrigeration.

It was designed and created by Beer Men's Shed, with funding provided by Friends of Seaton Library (FOSL).

The display unit was commissioned as a solution for the storage and display challenges that SAVE food hub volunteers and library staff had been facing.

Since its launch in April, the community fridge has proven to be a huge success.

However, storage issues arose, particularly for items like bread, which do not require refrigeration.

The newly created display unit now sits alongside the fridge, providing an easy-to-use solution to the issue.

Describing the collaboration between the three groups, a FOSL representative expressed immense satisfaction with the project, saying: "We were absolutely delighted to be able to fund the project and were very pleased with the result."

Chris Pickles from Beer Men’s Shed added: "SAVE food hub asked us to build a large custom shelf unit to be installed in Seaton public library to help with food distribution.

"A team of our members who live in Seaton as well as Beer worked on this project over the last few weeks from initial design right through to delivery and installation.

"And the food is already disappearing quickly off the shelves!"

Aileen Heal from SAVE Food Hub echoed these sentiments, applauding the improvement the shelving brought to the food distribution process, saying: "I am so pleased with the outcome.

"The shelving will help our volunteers display food so people can select what they want easily without having to sort through what’s there and the library will be tidier.

"Many thanks to FOSL and to Beer Men’s Shed for their support and hard work."

The Seaton SAVE food hub operates at the community larder, located next to the library.

Volunteers gather surplus food from local Tesco and Londis, FareShare South West, and Exeter Food Action to help prevent unnecessary food waste.