Mark, our fundraising manager, shared the impact so far:
“We are in the first year of the project and learning so much about composting! Our small amounts of food waste are being turned into fresh fruit and vegetables. It’s the perfect circle for us!”
Limiting food waste is a core value at Fareshare Sussex & Surrey. Currently, across both the Brighton and Guildford sites, only 2.2% of our food is deemed unsuitable for human consumption. This waste is now saved and put to productive use through composting; giving it a second lease of life by providing nutrients for new crops.
Alistair, one of our Brighton Warehouse volunteers who came up with the idea to compost our food waste, said:
“I think people would be surprised to learn how quickly food can be turned into compost. The Ridan is very good at generating heat, which accelerates decomposition. If the conditions are right, food waste can be turned into compost within four weeks. It is amazing!”
So, how does our food waste get transformed into nutrient-rich compost?
At our Brighton warehouse, our food waste is made up of a combination of surplus food that can’t be redistributed, as well as leftovers from our on-site lunchtime meals. We then pack the waste into small boxes and send it off on our e-bikes and e-vans.
Our fantastic team of volunteers, complete the 10-minute cycle to the Nurture Through Nature allotment, ready to hand over our food waste to their team of Horticultural Therapists and volunteers.
A volunteer from Nurture Through Nature expressed:
“I enjoy volunteering with Nurture Through Nature as it feels good to give something back to the community. It’s a wonderful project growing food for local food banks.”
Nurture Through Nature is a charity allotment in Moulsecoomb working with volunteers to grow fresh fruit and vegetables. The allotment creates a community space for volunteers to get involved and learn to grow crops. Prior to our composting project, Nurture Through Nature was already donating their crops to Fareshare Sussex & Surrey to be redistributed. Now, we have developed a circular relationship with our waste feeding their soil and their crops feeding our community projects. This means our food waste gets to go on a full-circle journey, from our warehouse, to the allotment and back again.
Nick, the lead horticultural therapist at Nurture Through Nature, explained:
“Fareshare brings over a variety of different types of food waste – cooked and uncooked food, rotting vegetables, coffee grounds. We then use the compost as mulch on top of our raised beds.”
Nurture Through Nature is home to the Ridan composter which is a core player in our composting mission. After its arrival in October 2024, it has allowed us to compost more waste efficiently. The installation of the Ridan was made possible through the allocation of the National Lottery Community Fund which granted funding to the Food Use Places Project, of which Fareshare Sussex & Surrey is a part. The project, in partnership with Brighton and Hove Food Partnership, was made up of 15 other community organisations within East Sussex, all working together to tackle food waste.
“Since we have had this big Ridan composter, we have got an endless supply of compost that goes into the soil and helps the plants to grow well,” Nick added. “That is proof that the soil is a lot more balanced and nutritious.”
We want to say a massive thank you to everyone involved in the composting process. To our volunteers, partners, and National Lottery players, thank you being part of our circular composting mission!