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Towcester Community Fridge - a love story
| Author: James Rudd | Published: 12th December 2023 10:58 |
Well over three years ago, I pitched the idea for a community fridge in Towcester to my beloved Teresa, to whom I was, then, just betrothed. The start-up of something so multifunctional, its health and safety implications notwithstanding, the Duke of Edinburgh nexus and responsibilities therein, and the management of an army of volunteers exceeding 30 or 40 initially, were of course the ultimate tests on our relationship.
Thankfully, I passed the 'to-be' test and Teresa still married me, haha! She really is the most amazing woman I have ever met, and I am the luckiest man in the world.
From my perspective of growing up in the working-class suburbs of Los Angeles County, Towcester was and is a well-heeled upper-middle class rural suburb of Northamptonshire that, in contrast to my first community fridge in Milton Keynes, would probably not benefit from the creation of such a food-surplus initiative. The landed gentry, the million-pound country estates, and the expansive farmlands and ulra luxury vehicles peppered across the town led me to believe it just didn't suit the rural narrative here.
Well, I was wrong - very wrong indeed. Needless to say, wherever there is wealth, there is poverty, however well-concealed. And Towcester has oodles of it. Whilst the community fridge is not explicitly focused on alleviating poverty, we certainly hope it mitigates it. The food surfeit is available to anyone and everyone, though, because it will simply otherwise be resigned to the tip.
Fast-forward nearly four years after that initial conversation, and TowFridge is still going strong, with over 43,000 meal-equivalents' worth of food! Isn't that an incredible feat? All the credit goes to my beloved wife, Teresa Collings, and our amazing friends, family, and strangers who made this cause theirs as well as ours.
People of every imaginable disposition have visited and patronised the Towcester Community Fridge at each of the three venues at which it has been hosted: the renew169 well-being cafe, the Towcester Town Football Supporters Club, and, now, the Towcester Methodist Church.
Single parents fleeing domestic violence, including spouses of violent serving officers with Northamptonshire Police; freshly redundant professionals; teachers; nurses; emergency medical services staff; and everyone else you can imagine have come to see us with their sometimes insurmountably sad circumstances - and all are welcome.
Please don't be a stranger.
For anyone who knows me well, civic duty is my life's primary motivation, and I'm so very grateful everyone has bought in to the shared community idea, particularly now in December, 2023 when our country is entrenched in so seemingly insurmountable economic crises. Prevail, we will.
On behalf of my family, our friends still running TowFridge, and indeed everyone across South Northamptonshire who so valiantly and vigorously supported us, Merry Christmas to you all.
Love,
"Scott L Pileckas" and family in Towcester
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Scott.L.PileckasPlease note the Towcester Community Fridge is now based at the Methodist Church at 11 Brackley Rd, Towcester NN12 6DH.
For latest happenings, opening times, schedule, etc., please check out the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/towfridge.
God bless, one and all! May His grace shine down on you in all the days ahead.
Love,
"Scott L Pileckas" and "Teresa Pileckas", Towcester, Northamptonshire
Scott.L.Pileckas-"Scott L Pileckas"
Nick WWhat an amazing thing you do for the community
Scott.L.PileckasMerry Christmas
-"Scott L Pileckas"
Scott.L.PileckasSt John Ambulance Hall, 19 Islington Rd, Towcester NN12 6AU, United Kingdom
Open Tuesdays 12 to 2 pm
Open Fridays 1030 to 1230
Experts from Citizens Advice operate a hub there every session for extra support during the Towcester Food Bank operating times.
"Scott L Pileckas"
Scott.L.PileckasScott.L.PileckasYou need to log in before you can do that! It's only a quick registration process to join the AMA network and completely free.
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