A WOMAN from Camelford is encouraging people to swap excess food items that they no longer need with other members of the community — in a hope to prevent waste and help people in need.

Trina White came up with the idea for the Camelford food swap group when she noticed the amount of food items at home that she didn’t use.

With a hate for waste, she thought it would be a good idea to offer any items to other residents in the area.

She said: “It was a case of looking in the cupboard at things I knew I would never use, but didn’t want to throw away either as I hate waste. I just thought there must be more people out there in exactly the same position!”

As well as waste being at the forefront of her message, Trina has also seen the effect poverty has had on people in the area, and is hoping that her idea will be transformed into an even bigger service in the near future.

“This area has a lot of families on low incomes and who I know struggle to make end’s meet,” she continued.

“I thought if we could help in some way, and help each other out, then that would be a bonus.

“I wasn’t expecting it to take off, but we have had quite a few members offering items free, as well as swaps.”

The group has now included other items — such as furniture and unwanted things for the home — to their Facebook group, with plans to open a separate page for this.

“I hope more people will become aware of this page and start using it, rather than throwing perfectly good food in the bin,” she said. “I think with this, and what Janna (Booton) is doing (by providing vegetables for a small donation), we can start to make a change in Camelford for the better.”

Janna, who lives in the centre of Camelford, is providing vegetables to residents in the town for a small donation, working alongside the Plymouth Real Junk Food Project team.

Trina now has hopes to open a community larder for local residents, although she has been told by Cornwall Council that qualifications would be needed and at least ten volunteers to man the site.

She said: “We did want to set up a community larder but the council put a dampner on that, and said we need to get qualifications and have at least ten volunteers to man the site, which I think takes away the whole concept of it as we want people to come and take as they need without there being feelings of embarrassment or shame that can sometimes come with not being able to afford meals.

“We have another lady’s permission to site it on her land so people can help themselves, but we need a cabinet to hold the items.”

Another plan in the pipeline is to gain permission to empty spaces around the town, such as flower beds full of grass or weeds, to be used to plant vegetables so people can help themselves from there too.

Trina would like her service to be made available to local residents at all times, without the need of food vouchers, and for those who are unable to get to the local foodbank when it is open.

The food swap service on Facebook requires people to post photographs of any unwanted food items to be offered to whoever wants or needs it. Others can then comment on the photo and arrange to pick it up.

With 300 members at present, Trina only hopes the group will grow in time, adding: “We would love more people to join and be made aware.”

The community larder site, if it comes to fruition, will be situated outside of Camelford, so that it can be more secluded for those wanting to pick things up in private. Trina needs to source a shelving unit, so that food items can be kept there.

Trina added: “I would love for this to grow and I’m hoping we can start a scheme also offering sanitary products free of charge for people who cannot afford them.”

To join the group, search Camelford food swap/free group.