A PIONEERING project to reduce food waste in the Borders has enjoyed a cold reception.

Galashiels-based employment charity Works+ has teamed up with the Co-op to introduce community fridges to the region.

And the first chill cabinet was switched on last week in Lauder.

The service offers all unsold fresh food for free to the community - and prevents it going to landfill.

This latest initiative comes on the back of left-over fresh food being used by Works+ to provide meals for its trainees.

Scott Wight from the charity told us: “We have been working closely with the Co-op for nearly a year as part of their Food Share programme.

"We use the food donated from the Earlston branch every week to provide lunch every day for the participants on our employability programme.

"The Co-op have been very supportive of the work we do across the Scottish Borders, and together with their community pioneer and the area manager, we plan to do what we can to help reduce food waste going to landfill as well as returning the unsold food back into the community.”

Since the first community fridge was switched on last week at the Co-op in Lauder it has proved popular.

And the second fridge is expected to be placed in another local Co-op before the end of the month.

Co-op area manager Ben Letby said: “We are absolutely committed to reducing our food waste to lowest level possible.

"As well as saving on the carbon emissions of returning waste to depot, having a community fridge also gives the local community an opportunity to take part in reducing food waste by taking our unsold food free of charge and doing something great with it.

"Works+ take food from our Earlston store to use in their projects and I am delighted to extend this partnership to include sponsorship of another joint waste reduction initiative in the area.”