A new agreement aims to cut food waste and greenhouse gases in part of Norfolk, whilst helping a busy foodbank.

Eastern Daily Press: The King's Lynn Foodbank. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYThe King's Lynn Foodbank. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2019)

The Courtauld 2025 commitment was signed by West Norfolk councillor Ian Deveraux at King's Lynn Foodbank today, under the watchful eye of its project manager Helen Gilbert.

It means the council will develop schemes which reduce waste, engage residents in schemes to make recycling food easier such as collection boxes and report back to the commitment's organiser WRAP, a food waste reduction group.

Mr Deveraux said: "This is a commitment to try and minimise waste and to make sure that we reuse and recycle food waste within our borough. "We run a food waste collection scheme and a green bin scheme for garden waste, but I think we are now moving towards this idea of avoiding putting food into landfil that creates methane, which of course produces greenhouse gas which we want to avoid."

It is hoped that the agreement will lead to an increase in donations at the foodbank.

Eastern Daily Press: Helen Gilbert, project co-ordinator at the King's Lynn Foodbank. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYHelen Gilbert, project co-ordinator at the King's Lynn Foodbank. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2019)

So far this year the King's Lynn Food Bank has fed 4,187 people, the nine month figure is almost the same as the number who needed food in the 12 months between April 2018 and March 2019.

As the foodbank's busiest time of the year approaches Ms Gilbert says the scheme is still suffering from food shortages and is in need of tinned meat, tinned vegetables, tinned rice pudding, tinned fruit, spreads including jam and tinned tomatoes.

She said: "Hopefully it will encourage people across the area to have a look in their cupboards and rather than putting things in the bin, they check the dates and if it's actually in-date donate what they don't want to us rather than letting it go out of date, into the back of their cupboards and then it goes to landfill.

"it is nice to get the support of the council for the foodbank as we have seen a massive increase in the number of people coming to the foodbank in the last three months."

Eastern Daily Press: Crates of food at King's Lynn Foodbank, where there is a shortage of some foods. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYCrates of food at King's Lynn Foodbank, where there is a shortage of some foods. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2019)

Anyone looking to donate to the foodbank can email info@kingslynnfoodbank.org, call 07582558143, or visit its website.

Eastern Daily Press: The landmark commitment signed by Councillor Ian Devereux, signalling the borough council's intention to reduce food and drink waste. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYThe landmark commitment signed by Councillor Ian Devereux, signalling the borough council's intention to reduce food and drink waste. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2019)

Eastern Daily Press: Ian Devereux, West Norfolk's cabinet member for the environment, with the landmark commitment he has signed signalling the borough council's intention to reduce food and drink waste. With him is Helen Gilbert, project co-ordinator for the King's Lynn Foodbank. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYIan Devereux, West Norfolk's cabinet member for the environment, with the landmark commitment he has signed signalling the borough council's intention to reduce food and drink waste. With him is Helen Gilbert, project co-ordinator for the King's Lynn Foodbank. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2019)