Surplus Fruit and Veg Donation Drive
Seasonal gluts are often overlooked as a climate positive food. Reducing food waste from these gluts can play a significant role in reducing local emissions, while increasing access to fresh, plastic-free produce.
That’s why we’re working with local communities in Cambridge city and South Cambridgeshire to rescue and redistribute as much surplus produce as we can from gardens, allotments, and orchards. Whether you’re snowed under with apples and plums from your fruit trees, or have a glut of courgettes and tomatoes from your allotment, we’d love to help make sure none of your lovely fruit and veg goes to waste this year.
All the produce we collect will be distributed back into the community through local food hubs and social food project networks. Some will go out as fresh produce, some will be packed into recipe kits for families accessing food hubs, and the rest will be processed and preserved so we can keep distributing it throughout the winter.
For more information / questions please contact alex@cambridgesustainablefood.org
join a batch cooking session
We’re looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help us transform gluts of surplus fruit and veg into tasty, nourishing products and preserves to supply the Cambridge community throughout the autumn and winter.
Join us at a seasonal batch cooking session to learn new recipes, meet new people, and support our mission to make sustainable food accessible for everyone. We’ll be upcycling donated produce from the collection weeks into chutneys, pickles, sauces, soups, and more.
Everything we make will be distributed via food hubs and social food projects, helping to increase access to sustainable food among low-income households while reducing food waste.
August and September 2026 - dates to be announced soon!
To find out more please contact alex@cambridgesustainablefood.org
Cambridge City collection Weeks:
Summer: Monday 27th - Friday 31st July
Late summer: Monday 24th - Friday 28th August
Autumn: Monday 14th - Friday 18th September
You can drop your fruit and veg off with us at our food centre in Barnwell, or if you need we can come and collect from you. We have fruit pickers we can lend, and if you need assistance harvesting your produce please let us know and we’ll do our best to help.
