The team behind Coalville's Community Fridge has been given national recognition.

Leicestershire County Council's Good Food Leicestershire initiative, which works with cross-sector partners to tackle issues from reducing food poverty to diet related ill-health, has been given a silver award from Sustainable Food Places.

The initiative supports people, communities and businesses across Leicestershire to access healthy, local nutritious food, and over 50 projects and organisations, from farms to restaurants, were mentioned in the nomination.

Projects included the community fridges in Coalville, Hinckley, Market Harborough and Wigston Magna which have prevented hundreds of tonnes of food from going to waste.

Community Fridges are places which rescue food from going to landfill, just because it is close to its best before date - and there is one in Coalville, at the Children and Family Wellbeing Centre, 3, High Street.

Volunteers work with a charity called Hubbub to collect donations and are open to anyone to take food.

Councillor Louise Richardson, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: "We are so pleased to get this recognition.

"Receiving the Silver accolade is a big step in the county's food journey, and I would like to congratulate everyone involved in making the county a greener and healthier place to live, work and eat.

"Food is an important part of our health and wellbeing, and we want everyone in Leicestershire to have access to healthy, affordable, and locally sourced food.

"I hope this recognition will encourage more people and organisations to get involved."

Previously a bronze award winner in 2022, the Sustainable Food Places Silver Award was given to organisations for having a long-term food plan in place and who make significant positive change on a range of key food issues.

Named as the first authority in the Midlands to receive silver food status, the Sustainable Food Places judges praised the several community and district led projects across the county that have made a positive difference to Leicestershire's food system.

Six debt and benefit advisors at Leicester South Food Bank also offer advice and support for anyone using the foodbank.

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