Food Use Places is a group of over 15 organisations working together across Sussex to reduce food and packaging waste. Projects engage communities that are often left out of climate action, through activities like composting, cooking, and sharing food. They help people learn new skills and take simple steps to waste less and reuse more.
In March 2024, we were successful in securing £1.21M funding from the National Lottery Community Fund to continue working on the Food Use Places project until April 2028. The funding extends an 18-month pilot project.
Communities leading the way
Food Use Places focuses on neighbourhoods often left out of climate action. The projects involved already worked with diverse communities, including those under-represented in climate action. By involving people of diverse ages, ethnicities, and social backgrounds, the project aims to increase skills, confidence and access to opportunities to tackle the climate crisis for generations to come.
Learning for Everyone
Real Junk Food Project with the support of Brighton Table Tennis Club, work in Schools and run after school clubs to inspire a new generation of Food Use Activists.
“We are delighted to be part of the citywide team being awarded a full grant by TNL. We will be engaging with schools to increase awareness of the issue of food waste as well as developing further the after-school cookery sessions we run with Brighton Table Tennis Club to enable young people who receive free school meals to play sport and learn to cook.” Paul Loman, RJFP
Turning Trash into Treasure
The project is increasing the number of community venues using onsite compost tumblers to turn their raw and cooked food waste into compost. We will expand over the lifetime of the project and aim to divert around 135,000 tonnes or 1,800 wheelie bins of waste per year by the end of the project.
“Working together to turn food scraps into compost for our community garden has become a rewarding routine. Initially daunting, it’s now a natural part of our day. Partnering provides comfort; we have a network for support and sharing knowledge as we continue to learn.” Reyna, Old Boat Community
From Waste to Full of Taste
Food Use Places also contributes to the circular economy approach by creating new products from surplus foods whilst creating jobs and providing nutritious food for their community. Supporting communities to be environmentally sustainable is one of The National Lottery Community Fund’s four key missions in its 2030 strategy, ‘It starts with community’.
Mel Eaglesfield, Deputy Director at The National Lottery Community Fund, said:
“We’re delighted to support the Food Use Places project through our Climate Action Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, this terrific initiative will help address food waste across East Sussex, and both engage and educate the community in sustainable food practices.”
The project is collaborating with Brighton & Hove City Council/ Lewes District Council to engage residents in food waste reduction / recycling and with Sport England to share learning with sports clubs across the UK.
‘Thank you to the National Lottery Climate Action Fund for supporting Food Use places. BHCC look forward to working with the partnership of 15 community rooted organisations. In particular, we welcome the focus on engaging people that are currently under-represented in climate action.‘ Cllr Bella Sankey, BHCC
A full list of the projects involved
Brighton and Hove Food Partnership are the managing partners
Brighton and Hove Food Partnership Community Kitchen offers cookery leader training course providing with the skills to increase their food use confidence.
Brighton Table Tennis Club work with Real Junk Food Project to deliver afterschool clubs to inspire everyone to be a champion in both table tennis and climate positive actions, particularly through food and packaging.
East Brighton Food Co-op have cooked and delivered over 300,000 freshly made gourmet meals to anyone who would benefit over the past 4 years, made predominately from food that would otherwise gone to waste (surplus/gleaned/rescued)
FareShare Sussex & Surrey intercepts food that would otherwise go to waste from farms and food manufacturers, redistributing it to food hubs, groups, banks and charities across Sussex and Surrey. They will also be working with Nurture Through Nature, to install a Ridan to compost food that can’t be redistributed.
Food Rise (formerly Feedback) / Sussex Surplus are working on making long-life products from surplus foods, such as their delicious spicy pumpkin soup.
Food Matters – brings people together and facilitates focus groups and workshops to build skills, knowledge and confidence to make that change happen.
Hangleton & Knoll Youth Project works in partnership with young residents providing resources and opportunities to facilitate positive changes identified by the community, hosting cooking sessions and other projects developed alongside the kids.
Hop 50+/Impact is a unique and vibrant space offering social and physical activities based alongside a café for older people which they will be adding Food Use Confidence messaging to, plus an ‘in-house recycling centre’ for common but tricky items.
Nurture Through Nature will be working with FareShare Sussex & Surrey to install a Ridan to compost food that can’t be redistributed and will use the compost created on site to boost the growth of fruit & veg, which will then help supply FareShare Sussex and Surrey, creating a circular economy.
Moulsecoomb Forest Garden connecting people of all ages and abilities with gardening, food, and nature in various ways focussing on composting and climate positive messaging to their group.
Old Boat Corner Community Association are a ‘beacon’ project for the compost theme, specialising in Joraform composters as well as having an onsite charity shop, community pantry & fridge and kitchen, which turns food that would otherwise go to waste into delicious and nutritious meals for their community.
Real Junk Food Project are co-leads on this project and are focusing mostly on working with schools to support the reduction in their food waste and educate the future generations with food use confidence. They will also host after school clubs with Brighton Table Tennis Club
Sussex Community Development Association (SCDA) will be running workshops and groups on advice on food and packaging waste prevention and develop culturally appropriate meals from surplus to go out in their community supermarket.
The Bevy is a community-run pub in the heart of Moulsecoomb, East Brighton and are a ‘beacon’ for the compost theme, specialising in Ridan composters.
Whitehawk Community Food Project will be collecting food scraps from across the city to turn into compost on their site to reduce the miles travelled to make compost which will then be used on their volunteer led food growing site.
Find out more about food waste:
Want to learn more about reducing food waste at home? We have a range of resources on our wesbite, as well as links to national campaigns and information about reducing food waste. Check out our tips for reducing food waste at home, our composting resources, our where to donate surplus food page, and our food and climate change pages to find out more.
The National Lottery Climate Action Fund supports community-led climate projects around the UK, with a particular focus on engaging new audiences who aren’t currently engaged in climate action. The project aims to use stories and creative approaches to respond to climate change, and to tell new narratives to promote behaviour change.
