There are a few different figures around, and there has never a full study on it, but Unilever/WRAP estimate that in 2014, 2 million Christmas dinners were wasted across the United Kingdom: equivalent to 263,000 turkeys; 7.5 million mince pies; 740,000 slices of Christmas pudding; 17.2 million Brussels sprouts; 11.9 million carrots and 11.3 million roast potatoes. Each host spends an average of £112 on food alone, which amounts to £64 million of squandered food each Christmas. The sprouts alone would fill 1,000 wheelie bins, while leftover carrots could reach from London to Munich, end-to-end. And unused gravy would fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool.

Christmas is a time for waste. From wrapping paper to turkeys, from unwanted presents to single-use plastic tat inside crackers.

Christmas is also a time for family: gathering friends and relatives for dinner with plates piled high, presents under the tree, cheesy cracker jokes, mince pies and brandy sauce, arguments over what tv to watch and who took all the teasers out of the celebrations tub….

… however, for many people its a really difficult time of year.

This Christmas, REfUSE Cafe is opening it’s doors for a special Christmas dinner, with all the trimmings, made from rescued surplus food. We’ll have a festive afternoon of games, songs and presents, bringing together all our cafe family and inviting in anyone who might find themselves lonely, hungry or struggling on Christmas Day.

If you would like to be a part of it, please get in touch with Nikki. Whether peeling potatoes on Christmas Eve, giving people lifts or wrapping presents, we’d love you to join us before or on the day. The whole affair will be a family one, with little divide between volunteers and guests, its “all hands on deck” and we’ve all got something to give at Christmas time!