A NEW East Lancashire social enterprise could see supermarket food waste transformed into chutney and sold.

Chutney For Change has been set up in a bid to cut down on wasted food and to combat unemployment in the area.

It is the brainchild of Blackburn College University Centre social science student Rachel Gilkes, who last week scooped a prestigious Grad Factor award along with £2,500 prize money for her idea.

Rachel, 37, said: “Chutney For Change is dealing with two social issues — food waste from supermarkets and growers and unemployment.

“We will be getting surplus food that would otherwise go to landfill and then get unemployed people to make the chutney.

“As of January 2013, supermarkets have to be aware of waste so we are helping them with that.

“So it is a winner for everyone really.”

Rachel, of Harrison Road, Chorley, said that she already had an agreement in principle with two national supermarket chains to supply the surplus food.

She was one of six people shortlisted for the National Student Entrepreneur of the Year in the Grad Factor awards, claiming top prize at the Google Campus in London last Thursday.

Tutor Craig Hammond said: “Rachel’s work was part of externally funded research that will count towards her degree.

“We are promoting a new idea called anarchogogy, where students bring in their own ideas to further their academic achievement, and this is a perfect example of that at work.

“We are really proud of Rachel. Chutney For Change is a great idea.”

Chutney For Change, which is currently based at the college, is looking for helpers and potential premises.

Anyone who can help is asked to call Rachel on 07713 260024.