Local charity, Otley 2030, is very close to opening the Otley Community Larder at Otley Social Club and they are fundraising to buy a fridge and other essential equipment

The money raised from this fundraising will go directly to supporting the formation of the Otley Community Larder. This initiative is being developed by Otley 2030 to tackle the issues of food waste at the same time as addressing the cost-of-living crisis.

A spokesperson for Otley 2030 said: "The UK throws away around 9.5 million tonnes of food waste in a single year – even though 8.4 million people in the UK are in food poverty.

"This waste is a huge environmental issue, as most of it goes to landfill where it releases a great deal of the greenhouse gas methane into the atmosphere. Methane is 25 times more damaging to the ozone layer than carbon dioxide. The production, transportation, storage and packaging of all this waste food also has a huge environmental impact.

"The UK’s food poverty rate is among the highest in Europe. Despite being the sixth richest country in the world, millions are struggling to access the food they need. One in seven people across the UK (14 per cent) are skipping meals or going without food because they can’t afford the essentials. And over two-fifths (44 per cent) of Brits are having to cut back on food spending.

"Otley 2030 aims to address this by working with local restaurants, retailers and food producers to divert food, through their Community Larder, to those who need it most.

"We are looking to raise £2000 through a Crowdfunder. This will cover basic set up costs, including the purchase of a fridge and freezer, renovations of the room at the Social Club that they will be using, and the cost of utilities. There’s also a “stretch” target of £3000. If this is raised, then Otley 2030 will use it to buy planters to grow vegetables and herbs for users of the Larder."

The Crowdfunder will close on September 4. To donate follow this link:

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/otley-community-larder