The first Community Fridge in Manchester was officially unveiled today as part of a new network scheme from environmental charity Hubbub.
The Wythenshawe Community Fridge – which is located at Ken Collis Court – is one of 100 new community fridges that will be opened over the next year in partnership with Co-op, which are expected to save 6.8 million meals from going to waste.
Community fridges are open to everyone – with fresh food donated by businesses and Co-op itself.
As well as improving access to food, the fridges go beyond this by “empowering communities to connect with each other” and learn new skills through activities such as cookery sessions and workshops on how to grow your own fruit and veg.
The Wythenshawe Community Fridge will be run by Know Africa – a charity dedicated to supporting, empowering, and celebrating the wide cultural diaspora of African people living in Manchester and beyond.
ADVERTISEMENT
The group will welcome donations of unopened, packaged foods within their use-by date and raw fruit or vegetables, which will then be available to anyone in the community.
The fridge will also be used to strengthen community bonds – with a nearby kitchen functioning as a hub for food education.
ADVERTISEMENT
The initiative has been endorsed by local hero Marcus Rashford, who has championed its ability to support local communities access food and skill.
The footballer stated: “The Co-op is a valuable founding member of the Child Food Poverty Taskforce and has consistently stepped up to the plate throughout the global pandemic to support our most vulnerable families.
“They have demonstrated how community action can make real sustainable change and just how powerful we can be when we come together.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Together with Hubbub, the Co-op has developed a programme that spans far beyond access to food and I’m so excited to see that my own community in Wythenshawe will benefit”.
The Wythenshawe Community Fridge is one of 100 set to open in the UK / Image: Dave Phillips via PinPepCommunity fridges can be accessed by everyone / Image: Dave Phillips via PinPep
The Wythenshawe fridge is one of several community fridges coming to Greater Manchester, with others opening at Co-op Academy in Failsworth and Crumpsall Community Hall.
Speaking on the launch of the first Manchester fridge, Steve Murrells – Group Chief Executive Officer at Co-op - said: ”Thanks to our members and customers, we’re delighted to be partnering with Hubbub to expand its community fridge network into Wythenshawe.
“It’s an innovative scheme to bring communities together, empowering people towards community-led food solutions that will help to build community resilience.
“As a co-operative, we recognise our responsibility to make a genuine difference and have already made a number of interventions to help tackle food poverty and create fairer access to food, through our food share partnerships and our donations to FareShare, however, our work in our local communities has shown us that to really make a sustainable difference we need to co-operate with others to build the resilience needed for the future”.
ADVERTISEMENT
You can find out more about Community Fridges and the new partnership here.
Featured Image – Dave Phillips / PinPep
News
Popular pumpkin patch attraction describes ‘catastrophic’ impact of Storm Boelo
Daisy Jackson
Bates Farm, one of the most popular pumpkin patch attractions in the North West, has shared its heartbreak after Storm Boelo forced its closure on the busiest day of the season.
The Warrington-based family farm said the financial impact has been ‘honestly catastrophic’, after they had to cancel all tickets for Sunday.
Sisters Ali and Fiona Wilshaw, who run the farm, said it was simply not safe to allow members of the public onto the farm in the storm, with ‘crazy’ gusts of wind.
They later shared a video that showed their marquee was badly damaged and many footpaths turned to deep mud.
The sisters said they were ‘heartbroken’ to have to close at such a busy time, but stressed to followers that ‘your safety and our integrity will always come first’.
On Saturday, as Storm Austen and Storm Boelo chased each other across the UK, several people shared videos of themselves getting battered by the weather at Bates Farm.
And it’s pretty clear from that why Ali and Fi decided to cancel all tickets and close for the day on Sunday.
They wrote: “We have put in so much love, energy and investment putting on this event at this scale. The cost to cancel and refund everyone today on our busiest day of the season is honestly catastrophic, but business aside, your safety and our integrity will always come first.
“To think last night we were running round Tesco trying to stock up on milk and now we are in the depths of recovering the site to go again tomorrow. All emails and enquiries are being responded to as quickly as possible and we are doing our best to open up more available slots next week.
“We are being tested like never before, but pulling together in true force. Huge shout out to the whole team and Farmer Fi the absolute queen in any crisis.
“Thank you all for your patience and especially thank you to those who have sent such kind words and support, we are so grateful to have customers like you.
“We will be back tomorrow to enjoy the remaining of this tough season, we are putting in so many provisions with wood chip paths, undercover seating and an indoor barn to make your visit as enjoyable as possible. Ali & Fi.”
Anyone who had tickets to visit Bates Farm on Sunday will be refunded, and can book in for another date.
Bates Farm has safely reopened its autumnal experience and pumpkin patch today.
‘Violent’ Salford man jailed after raping two women he met on dating apps
Emily Sergeant
A man from Salford who police describe as ‘violent’ has been jailed after raping two women he met on dating apps.
Kenny Cox appeared at Manchester Crown Court for his sentencing last week (23 October) in relation to the rape of two women – one in November 2021 and one in September 2024.
The 46-year-old was arrested on 8 September 2024, charged and then remanded, before standing trial for both rapes in March 2025.
The trial, however, resulted in a hung jury, so a new trial commenced in August 2026, and Cox was then subsequently found guilty of two counts of rape and one of attempted rape.
It comes after, on 7 November 2021, one of the victims met up with Cox after connecting through a dating app. They went to a property in Salford, and after drinking alcohol together, the victim began to feel hazy and described herself as ‘feeling paralysed’ and ‘unable to move’.
It was during this time she was raped by the suspect.
After she was able to move, she left the property in a taxi and subsequently reported the incident to the police.
Cox was arrested on 14 November 2021 and bailed with stringent bail conditions not to contact the victim. But then, on 4 September 2024, he met up with a second victim, again after connecting through a dating app, and they went to a property in Salford where he raped her before she was able to leave and inform police.
Following the trial, Cox has been sentenced to 14 years in prison, with four years on licence.
He was also given an indefinite restraining order against the victims, and is subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
“I would firstly like to commend the strength of the victims in this case,” commented Detective Sergeant James Walsh, of GMP’s Salford Criminal Investigation Department. “They have gone through this trial process twice now and each time have has shown incredible courage to ensure Cox was put behind bars.
“He preyed on these women and is an violent, sexual offender.
“I hope this sentence and the subsequent sexual harm prevention order imposed gives the victims a sense of justice to help them try to move forward from this and put Kenny Cox firmly in their past where he belongs.”
Emily Sergeant -
19th May 2021 
