More than 40kg of food has already been saved from landfill since a community fridge opened in Dorchester last week.

CasterFridge can be found in Co-op on Trinity Street and aims to reduce the amount of edible food waste that is thrown away by shops and cafes, and instead donates it to the community.

It was opened on April 20 by Dorchester mayor, councillor Richard Biggs, and has had a hugely positive response, with more than 180 items of food donated.

He said: "CasterFridge allows for Dorchester to do its part in the war against waste.

"This food donated by shops to the community will be a stepping-stone to reducing the amount of good food being thrown away.

"This is a project for our entire community; anyone can come and help themselves and have a chat with one of the friendly volunteers.

"Volunteer Centre Dorset who has set up this project, is passionate about our community and its residents, and hopes that CasterFridge will help Dorchester come together as we come out of a difficult year."

CasterFridge has been open on three separate mornings, already rescuing a total of 40kg of food from landfill and have had over 100 guests visit the fridge.

CasterFridge is run by charity Volunteer Centre Dorset. The project coordinator from the Volunteer Centre, Issy McGowan said: "CasterFridge has so much potential to help both the environment and the people of Dorchester. So much good food is needlessly thrown away, and we want to stop as much of it as possible from going in the bin.

"We know that this year has been particularly challenging for a lot of people and we hope that by offering free food and a friendly chat, we can bring a sense of community support to Dorchester."

The community fridge is based in the entrance to the Co-op and will be open on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 10am to 12noon.

Issy added: "The Co-op is an ideal location, it's close to the bus stops and right in the heart of the town. The staff there have been so welcoming, and we look forward to working with them.

"We have already had such an overwhelmingly positive response from the public. We have had people from all ages and all walks of life come to the fridge and help themselves to a huge variety of food.

"One guest took a pastry on our first day of opening and came back another day to offer their thanks. It had made their day having a treat with their morning coffee, all the while knowing they were helping the environment.

"So far, we have had over 180 items of food donated including bread, pastries, salad, vegetables, yoghurt, fruit, and herbs, all of which has been taken by visitors to the fridge. We haven't had to throw anything away, which at the end of the day is exactly what we want to achieve."

To find out more about the Community Fridge, contact Issy McGowan at Volunteer Centre Dorset on 01305 269214 or email [email protected]