Fighting Food Waste and Supporting the Community
The Sustainability Service has launched a new community pantry in collaboration with local community arts venue Left Bank.
Situated at Left Bank on Cardigan Road, the community pantry is accessible to anyone to donate and collect surplus food. The project aims to promote sustainable behaviours around food consumption whilst helping people to save money, lower carbon emissions, and provide for those in need.
A team of volunteer student Community Pantry Guardians will be checking in regularly to ensure the pantry is looked after and is successful in promoting sustainable behaviours around food waste!
If the pantry needs some attention let us know sustainability@leeds.ac.uk .
How can the Community Pantry help you eat sustainably?
- Check your cupboards
Are you really going to use that tin of kidney beans that’s been sat untouched for 6 months? Why not drop it off at the pantry for someone else to use?
- Check the pantry before you shop
That essential ingredient might be there for you to take, saving you cash and carbon emissions!
- Share your donations and creations
Just dropped off a tin of something tasty? Turned someone else’s surplus sustenance into a marvellous feast? Let us know at @UoL_Sus #CommunityPantry
What can you bring to the pantry?
Yes please:
- unopened cans, tins, jars, packets, and bottles
- longer-life veg (e.g. onions, potatoes, garlic, squash)
- small kitchen utensils (used but clean)
- cake tins, oven trays, cutlery and crockery (used but clean)
No thanks:
- dairy and eggs
- fresh fruit and vegetables
- frozen products
- fresh meat
- food with open packaging
- food past printed use-by date
- alcohol or any restricted products
The pantry is accessible during Left Bank’s opening times:
Monday-Friday 9am-5pm
Weekends 11am-4pm
Left Bank, Cardigan Road, Burley, Leeds LS6 1LJ
Collaborative Design
The unique design of the pantry cabinet was created a collaboration between the University of Leeds and OWLS (Older Wiser Local Seniors). A team of three volunteer students from the School of Fine Art and School of Design joined the OWLS arts and crafts group at Left Bank to share their creative ideas. The OWLS members used their media of choice, pencil, crayon, acrylic and paper craft to illustrate different items of food. The OWLS’ artwork was then digitised by our volunteer artists and incorporated into the final design.
Thanks to our artists Caitlín O’Doherty, Madalena Teague and Yican Jing for their many hours of hard work in creating an attractive piece of art which captures the creativity of OWLS and fits in perfectly at Left Bank.
The pantry cabinet was donated by furniture re-use social enterprise Over2Hills, converted from an old office shelving unit.
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
We use the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework to guide our activity. Our work on social impact is linked to the following SDGs:
- Goal 10: Reduced inequalities
- Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities
- Goal 17: Partnerships
Find out more about our impact on the SDGs.
