Every year performers stock up their flat fridges with sustenance for the Fringe, but what happens to their leftovers when August winds up? Comedian Simon Caine has founded the Edinburgh Fringe Food Bank Collection in partnership with Edinburgh City Missions’ Basics Bank and the Laughing Horse Free Fringe to make sure the Fringe’s spare food is distributed to those who need it. Here he is explaining the rationale behind the event and how you can donate food.
I feel this is the least we can do
Every year I come to Edinburgh and three things are promised to me: 1) I’ll lose a ton of money on a show. 2) Something will happen midway through the run which will make the financial loss worth it. 3) I’ll buy stuff during the Fringe that I’ll barely use due to bad planning and throw away because there’s little to no point in me taking it home.
Hi, my name is Simon. I’m a 28-year-old comedian who spends his time overthinking life. This often causes me to feel bad for things I think a lot of other people don’t give a second thought to.
Each year in Edinburgh I buy food with the good intention of cooking as many meals as possible. Being a performer, August is my busiest month of the year and as a result, this isn’t always possible. This means I throw away a lot of food. Some unopened. This always makes me feel uneasy. If I throw away £5 worth of food, and so do a thousand other acts up here, that’s a lot of grub which could have made a massive difference to the homeless of Edinburgh who I pass everyday on my way to my show.
So here’s my plan… I’ve teamed up with Edinburgh City Missions and Laughing Horse to host a food collection on the 30th of August, 2015. Anytime between 10am and 4pm you (yes you, performers or audience members reading this) can bring any unopened packs of food to the Three Sisters front courtyard area where a member of the Basics Bank team will be waiting to take your donation. This will then be distributed to the homeless of Edinburgh.
This city offers us so much; I feel this is the least we can do to give something back to the less fortunate that live here.
You can find out more at the Facebook Event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/115668542113307/
