Roehampton Fruit & Vegetable Project Launches
Affordable produce will be sold by residents
A new project to benefit the local community and involve residents in selling fruit and vegetables is being launched at a free afternoon event on Saturday, October 26th.
The project, part of Wandsworth Council’s Roehampton Challenge, will help to encourage healthy living by selling affordable healthy food and is being supported by the Plunkett Foundation, which has experience in setting up community food enterprises such as veg box schemes, food co-ops or markets.
The Plunkett Fundation was founded in 1919 by Sir Horace Plunkett, the pioneer of agricultural co-operation in Ireland and much of the English speaking world. Today the Plunkett Foundation helps communities through community-ownership to take control of the issues affecting them.
Local people, organisations and businesses will be given a package of support to set up a social enterprise that focusses on selling fresh fruit and vegetables. The Plunkett Foundation is keen to hear from the community on how they might want to be involved. Since 2007 it has supported over 1600 community food enterprises through the Making Local Food Work programme
The project is being launched from 1.30pm to 2.30pm at the Café Joy on Danebury Avenue and is not only supported by Wandsworth Council as part of the Roehampton Challenge, but also local groups such as The Roehampton Trust, Regenerate and Roehampton University’s Growhampton project.
Growhampton is a Roehampton University programme funded by the Student Green Fund which aims to bring sustainability to the heart of learning, teaching and everyday life at the University of Roehampton. http://roehamptonstudent.com/student-life/growhampton/
Tom Carman from the Plunkett Foundation, who is experienced in helping communities to work together to change how they access food, said:
“It is not always easy to find fresh fruit and vegetables for sale in Roehampton. This project is about getting residents to work together to create a way for the local community to engage and sell affordable, healthy food. Registering your interest in the project is recommended and can be done at www.surveymonkey.com/s/RoeCFE, many thanks.”
The council’s health spokesman, Cllr Jim Maddan, said:
“The Roehampton Challenge is all about people leading healthier lives, whether it be getting more exercise, improving access to health services or making it easier to eat more healthily. This project will encourage the Roehampton community to be proactive and get together to make healthy eating easier.”
For more information about the project please contact Tom Carman at the Plunkett Foundation on 01993 814 386 or at tom.carman@plunkett.co.uk For further information on the Wandsworth Council’s involvement, please contact Monica Tullin at MTullin@wandsworth.gov.uk
October 17, 2013