When the first Ashes Test between Australia national cricket team and England cricket team wrapped up in just two days at Optus Stadium (Perth Stadium), organisers found themselves with a large volume of food — prepared under the assumption the match would go to five days — left unused.
Rather than see it go to waste, the stadium’s operations team sprang into action. They worked with charities and food-relief organisations including OzHarvest, SecondBite and Foodbank WA to redistribute hundreds of kilos of surplus produce — including fruit, vegetables, dairy products, sandwiches, bread — as well as other perishable items: even 450 kg of tomatoes were repurposed into passata by stadium chefs.
The scale of the donation was historic for the region: it became the largest single food donation ever received by OzHarvest in Western Australia. Items were delivered to schools, charities, women’s refuges and other community-support organisations across Perth and WA.
Stadium leadership framed it as a standout example of community spirit and effective waste-management. “Minimising food wastage is one of our key aims,” said the stadium CEO, noting that contingency plans — developed during the COVID-19 era — enabled the quick pivot from match-day catering to food rescue. Local officials also praised the effort, with the state’s deputy premier calling the redistribution “community spirit at its best.” Ashes
While the early finish of the Test deprived fans of a full five-day match, the silver lining was this unprecedented food donation — transforming surplus catering into meaningful support for people in need across Western Australia.
