Meet: Re-f-use
The little movement starting a big food revolution in the North-East of England…
“The place has the kind of vibe that makes you want to join in, and come back for more…”
Durham is a little city in England, and a very beautiful one, at that. It boasts one of the nicest cathedrals; some of the prettiest tearooms; and some of the friendliest people. I also went to university there, so I could be a little biased.
It’s in this little pocket of the north of England that a food revelation is beginning…
Re-f-use, at its simplest, runs a pop-up-restaurant each month using surplus (and otherwise wasted) food. However, as I hung out with Nikki, one of its founders (who also happens to be an old university friend), I realised that there’s so much more to it than that.
Food waste is a growing issue across the UK: around 15 million tonnes of food is thrown away each year, and this is having a serious environmental impact on our planet. Much of the food thrown away is still edible.
But Re-f-use are fighting this. Fiercely.
I arrive to their February pop-up half an hour before opening. In the kitchen, volunteers are preparing a mountain of food, all gathered from local businesses and supermarkets. Moussaka is the main dish, I’m told, and I glance across to a huge pile of ready-made meals that would otherwise have been in a waste bin.
But it’s not the only thing on offer. There are 4 starters, 5 main courses and the offer of pancakes for dessert. I’m now starting to get really excited about dinner. And as the atmosphere builds I find myself preparing fruit for smoothies. There are already some pop-up regulars hanging putting the finishing touches to the room. Candles are lit, bunting is hung, and it feels like we could be at a fancy restaurant. Except that this is no ordinary restaurant.
Pop-ups operate on a “Pay as you feel” basis which means that nobody is excluded from joining in. And if you can’t afford to pay for dinner you’re welcome to pledge to help with the washing up instead. Everyone is welcome.
As the doors open and people start to pile through, I get a glimpse of the real community heart of Re-f-use. A queue quickly forms and I join the end of it, introducing myself to a university fresher also in the queue. She’s never been to a pop-up before, but has heard about it through a friend and thinks it’s great. I wholeheartedly agree.
The people in front of us are also newbies and as they have nowhere to sit, we invite them to join us. As we order at the till we’re also asked whether we want to help next time; and all 3 of my dining buddies do. The place has the kind of vibe that makes you want to join in, and come back for more.
We get starters and main courses; the moussaka is absolutely huge, and totally delicious. The room is now full to bursting, but the queue seems to be as big as ever.
After dinner, I pop back into the kitchen to see if there’s anything I can do to help. I’m handed a tea towel and instructed to pay attention to the dishwasher. Dessert is now being served, and the pancakes are going down a storm. The morale in the kitchen is high; this team not only knows exactly what to do, but they’re all really passionate about making it happen.
A few hours and many dishes later, I leave the kitchen to find the atmosphere as busy as ever. A couple have just come in off the street to see if there’s anything left, and are duly rewarded with an impromptu merging of dishes which look absolutely delicious.
I wonder if it ever ends; but at 9.30pm we’re finally starting to clear up, and figuring out how to ensure the remaining food goes to a good home. Moussaka is being handed out to everyone as they leave and donations are being made for items in the pop-up food supermarket (also Pay as you Feel).
The volunteer army are still going, clearing and cleaning everything to perfection. I’m absolutely exhausted but afterwards I find myself chatting in the local pub together with the team who’ve made it happen.They chatter excitedly about how great it’s been and how much they love to be involved each month.
It’s all been worth it; but I’m amazed at the amount of food that would have been thrown away. I’m even more shocked when Nikki tells me that they could probably run a pop-up once a week with the amount of food they’re offered. Plans for next month are in the pipeline, and already they have food stocked away that will be put to good use.
But as I leave, I realise this project is so much more than just using leftover food: Re-f-use are breaking down barriers, and building up community. The reason so many people dropped by was because of its incredible family atmosphere. These pop-ups are a place where everyone is welcomed; everyone is fed; everyone is equal at the table together. And that’s something rare in our society.
Long may it continue.
