Hi everyone !

My name is Barthélemy, I am a French student doing an internship at REfUSE. Working here is part of my education as I needed to spend a few weeks in an English-speaking country in order to improve my English skills. I heard about REfUSE with my teacher who is part of “The Real Junk Food Project” network and put me in touch with Nikki. I immediately felt really interested in the café and the PAYF system as all of this was new for me.

I have been very well received within the Team, everyone here is very friendly and cheerful. I immediately enjoyed working surrounded by the energy that is given to this project by Nikki, Mim, Hope, Susie, Johnny and everyone else volunteering or working here. There is an atmosphere full of positivity, so working in the café quickly became a pleasure !

Before working here, I never really heard of food waste before and what it really meant in terms of proportion and consequences. I would never have thought that there would be that much food to save from the bins. It was really satisfying to realise that you can host events such as a birthday with only food that would have been thrown away otherwise.

I think REfUSE is a huge step in the right direction concerning the situation. Everyone is trying to help and is happy to be here. So come by the café and see for yourself the community that exists here. Don’t forget to say hello !