Had a very useful meeting with kind and helpful John Clements yesterday.  It seems that the Ecclesiastical Insurance Company is concerned about the public liability implications of the community fridge.  They want a separate organisation (not the church) be responsible for the fridge’s safety, and to get separate public liability insurance for it.  I’ve contacted Feeding the Gaps to see whether they are willing to be that organisation if I find the money for the insurance.

The church’s other concerns about the fridge are:

1. monitoring of the food (for which we will be setting up a daily rota)
2. whether it would increase theft, vandalism etc. (though JC made the point that a community fridge would attract more people into the church which is what the church wants, and the odd petty theft might be worth the greater understanding and use of the church)
3. whether there is a need for it

I have agreed to write an article in the Sprout about the fridge, to see whether there is interest out there.