AN INITIATIVE which salvages food destined for the bin to create hot meals for the needy held a post-Christmas ‘blues buster’ event at the weekend.

Food for Thought Darlington organised a pop-up restaurant at Northlands Methodist Church, North Road, on Saturday.

Those attending enjoyed a three-course meal and table service thanks to friendly volunteers, with takeaways also available.

There was also live music and entertainment, a free tombola, a kids play area and free face painting as well as plenty of food, clothing and other essentials on offer.

The event was organised on a ‘pay as you feel’ basis and all were made welcome.

Guests could enjoy a Christmas dinner, or a beef or vegetarian option, and there were also child-friendly meals on the menu, all using donated food.

Food for Thought Darlington was launched two years ago and continues to offer events and initiatives designed to intercept and redistribute food that would otherwise go to waste. It has fed over 2,000 people at events.