Horsforth Community Café Turns Food Waste into Community Meals

Key Points

• Horsforth Community Café operates on a ‘Pay As You Feel’ model, allowing visitors to pay what they can afford.
• The café uses surplus food that would otherwise be wasted to create nutritious meals.
• Volunteers play a central role, cooking, serving, and managing café operations.
• The café runs every Monday from 10am to 2pm at The Parish Centre, St Margaret’s Church, Horsforth, with lunch served at 12pm.
• The initiative aims to reduce food waste and tackle food insecurity locally.
• The organisation welcomes new volunteers and food donations.
• The idea is part of a wider ‘Real Junk Food Project’ ethos promoting sustainability and community welfare.
• Local residents and community leaders have praised the café for its inclusive spirit and environmental contribution.

What is the Horsforth Community Café and how does it work?

At the heart of Horsforth, Leeds, the Horsforth Community Café is redefining how communities think about food, waste, and togetherness. Established as a ‘Pay As You Feel’ project, it allows anyone — regardless of income — to enjoy a hearty, home-cooked meal prepared by local volunteers using surplus food that would otherwise go to waste.

According to information published on the café’s official Facebook page, the café operates every Monday at The Parish Centre at St Margaret’s Church between 10am and 2pm, with lunch served at noon.

Speaking to Yorkshire Evening Post, a volunteer coordinator, Jane Burns, described the café’s ethos as

“simple but powerful — using food that would otherwise be wasted to feed people who might otherwise go hungry, or who simply want to share a meal with their community.”

The concept follows the model popularised by The Real Junk Food Project, a global movement founded in Leeds in 2013. As reported by BBC News Leeds, this model encourages communities to intercept surplus food, redistribute it, and enable people to contribute financially or through volunteering according to their means.

Why does the café use surplus food?

Food waste is a pressing issue in the UK, with WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) reporting that British households waste approximately 9.5 million tonnes of food each year. Much of this still edible food ends up in landfill or incineration, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.

By redirecting surplus food destined for the bin, Horsforth Community Café transforms potential waste into meals. As reported by The Guardian’s environment correspondent Sandra Laville, community food projects like this “bridge the gap between sustainability and social care,” tackling both ecological and welfare challenges.

Volunteer Tom Ridley noted to Leeds Live that local supermarkets, bakeries, and food suppliers regularly donate surplus produce.

“We never know exactly what we’ll get — that’s part of the creativity,”

he said.

“One week it’s vegetables and pasta, the next it’s bread and fruit. Nothing goes to waste.”

Who volunteers at the Horsforth Community Café?

The café’s success rests on the dedication of its volunteers — local residents, students, and retirees who come together every Monday morning to transform crates of rescued food into wholesome dishes.

Interviewed by The Wharfedale Observer, long-time volunteer Margaret O’Neill explained,

“It’s not just about food; it’s about people. The café gives everyone, volunteers and visitors alike, a real sense of purpose and belonging.”

Organisers encourage anyone interested in helping to simply turn up or contact them via Facebook. There’s no need for professional cooking experience — volunteers take on a range of roles, from washing up and serving to collecting donations and chatting with visitors.

“Everyone brings something,” said O’Neill.

“A friendly face, a pair of hands, or a story to share — every contribution matters.”

How does the ‘Pay As You Feel’ model support inclusion?

One of the most distinctive aspects of Horsforth Community Café is its open-access and dignity-centred model. Visitors are not charged a fixed price. Instead, they pay whatever they can afford — or nothing at all.

As explained by BBC Radio Leeds community affairs reporter Sam Lewis, the ‘Pay As You Feel’ approach “removes barriers that often prevent people from seeking help.” It fosters inclusivity by making no distinction between donors, customers, or beneficiaries.

In an interview with Leeds TV, café organiser Paul Hartley elaborated:

“Someone might drop in because they’re short on money that week; someone else might come because they’re lonely or just fancy a chat. The point is — everyone’s welcome, and no one’s judged.”

This model also sustains the café financially. Some guests leave generous donations, others contribute time, and others bring surplus food — ensuring that resources circulate organically within the community.

What impact does the café have on Horsforth’s community and environment?

The initiative’s impact extends far beyond affordable meals. By redistributing food and fostering social connection, Horsforth Community Café strengthens local networks, particularly among older residents and those living alone.

Leeds City Council’s community development officer Rachel Simon noted in a recent council bulletin that projects like this “showcase how local partnerships can drive social sustainability.”

The café indirectly contributes to reducing carbon emissions by diverting edible food from waste. The Real Junk Food Project estimated in 2024 that similar cafés across Leeds collectively saved more than 1,000 tonnes of food from landfill, reducing emissions equivalent to 2,500 tonnes of CO₂.

Additionally, it serves as an informal support hub. As reported by West Leeds Dispatch, many visitors find companionship, referrals to other community support services, or simply a warm, welcoming environment.

How can people donate food or get involved?

Organisers are always seeking volunteers and surplus food providers to sustain operations. Anyone interested can visit the café in person or reach out via the official Facebook page “Horsforth Food Hub”.

The team accepts non-perishable goods and perishable items that can still be safely consumed. Local businesses — including Morrisons Horsforth, Greggs, and independent greengrocers — have supported the project with weekly food contributions, as noted by Leeds Live’s community section.

“Even small acts make a difference,” said volunteer coordinator Jane Burns. “If you’ve got leftover ingredients or just a bit of time to spare, that’s all we need to keep this place running.

How does Horsforth fit into the wider movement against food waste?

Horsforth Community Café is part of a broader network inspired by The Real Junk Food Project, founded by Adam Smith in Leeds more than a decade ago. As reported by The Guardian (2021), Smith’s model now includes hundreds of similar cafés across the UK and overseas.

The shared goal: intercept surplus food, empower communities, and challenge traditional notions of value and waste.

“This café is another chapter in a growing story,” Smith told BBC Yorkshire in a 2022 interview.

“We’re proving every week that the system can change — not just by policy, but by people acting locally.”

What’s next for the Horsforth Community Café?

Looking ahead to 2026, organisers plan to expand their reach within Horsforth by collaborating with local schools, care homes, and sustainability groups. They are exploring ideas such as cookery workshops, nutrition education sessions, and youth volunteering programmes.

Speaking at a community meeting in December, Reverend Rachel Green, vicar at St Margaret’s Church, described the initiative as “a wonderful example of faith in action — not in a religious sense, but in a human one.”

The café’s continued success will depend on ongoing community participation and awareness. As Green emphasised,

“Food has the power to connect us, to remind us we belong to one another. That’s what this café does — it feeds body and soul.”

The Horsforth Community Café stands as an inspiring example of grassroots action meeting real needs — transforming waste into nourishment, isolation into friendship, and generosity into a collective way of life.