Food Rescue Central West is aiming to save up to one tonne of food a week going into landfill by encouraging shops and consumers to donate it to the groups.

Mrs Bracks urged supermarkets, fruit and vegetable shops, butchers, home gardeners and households to donate excess and unwanted food to the community groups, including Foodcare Orange, so it can be distributed to needy people.

She said Christmas was a great time of the year to donate food.

“I think Christmas is a time for many of us where food is in excess and the amount of waste is much higher,” she said.

“If we can continue donating to places like this [Foodcare Orange] then amongst the busyness [of Christmas] the food might go to people who need it more.

“If households want to give their excess produce, anything is welcome. Anything we can keep out of landfill is beneficial.”

She said home gardeners could consider donating excess fruit and vegetables to the community groups.

“If you don’t know what to do with it, bring it here,” she said.

Mrs Bracks said retailers could donate food that had not yet reached their ‘best before’ or ‘use by’ dates.

Hope Care Bathurst operations manager Elliot Redwin said the campaign had a new website, a Facebook page and an advertising campaign to show people how they could reduce food waste.

“By joining forces we can help put the spotlight on how much food we can save and how much good we can do with it, right across Bathurst, Lithgow, Orange, Cowra, Canowindra, Parkes, Forbes, Wellington, Dubbo and Mudgee,” he said.

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A food rescue forum was held in Orange last year.