A NEW community fridge has been installed at the Courtenay Centre in Newton Abbot, replacing an older fridge which had reached the end of its life and become unreliable.

The completion of the project was celebrated at the centre on Tuesday, September 29, with an event thanking the organisations and people who helped make the project possible.

Funding from Rotary Newton Abbot, LiveWest and Teignbridge District Council enabled the Courtenay Centre to purchase the new fridge and replace the unit in which it sits.

The new fridge was provided by LiveWest through its social value fund, while LiveWest staff built the new wooden housing during a recent volunteering day.

LiveWest employees are entitled to up to four days of paid volunteering each year to support local communities.

The community fridge is located outside the Courtenay Centre and is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Volunteers collect surplus food from local supermarkets and make it available for anyone who can make use of it.

The event also marked the arrival of Sarah Thorp, who has joined Newton Abbot Community Centres CIO as Operations Manager.

Sarah was previously Director of No Limits Community Cafe and Hub in Newton Abbot.

John Addy, Chair of Trustees for the Newton Abbot Centre Association, the charity that runs the Courtenay Centre , said: ‘We are delighted to welcome Sarah to the Courtenay Centre team.

‘We recognise that she brings a wealth of experience with her, particularly from her previous role as Director of No Limits Cafe & Community Hub in the town’.

The centre said the event provided an opportunity to thank everyone who supported the project and helped give the community fridge a new lease of life.