Story

REfUSE is a social enterprise fighting food waste and social isolation. We collect food that would otherwise go to waste and redirect it towards the local community through our community cafe and community pantry in Chester-le-Street. The cafe is run by volunteers, serving only food that would otherwise have been wasted on a Pay As You Feel basis, meaning you can pay with your money, time or skills. This PAYF model empowers people to recognise their skills, contribute to a local project and become included in an active community. We welcome everyone, including those who struggle to afford healthy hot meals, with the aim of 'feeding bellies not bins'. We offer volunteering opportunities for people from all walks of life including referrals from mental health and probation services and adults with learning difficulties. Many of our volunteers and visitors to the café are long-term unemployed, socially isolated or experiencing problems with drugs and alcohol. We also provide food for other projects in the region, run restaurant nights, provide event catering and offer waste not boxes: all using food that would otherwise have gone to waste.