Grow to Give scheme providing fresh food for locals in need
Surplus food from growers is being given to families and locals in need
Buckinghamshire locals struggling for food are being helped by a local food support scheme.
Last year, with the help of over 100 growers from seven Buckinghamshire allotments, Grow to Give donated over 1,600 kilos of food.
With support and funding from Buckinghamshire Council and Feedback Global, this year the aim is to collect at least 2,500 kilos of locally grown fruit and veg.
The Grow to Give scheme was set up by two Buckinghamshire growers, Justine Hamer, Richard Andrews and Sheila Bees to help people in the local community, by raising awareness of self-managed allotments, and using the surplus from these allotments to donate to their local food banks.
Justine explains how the scheme came about:
"Food was really important last year, where it comes from, what happens when the chain breaks. We saw supermarket shelves without food on, and some people couldn't get or even afford some items.
"Sheila and Richard were thinking the same and we thought if we all do something and give from our gardens and allotments we can help people."
Richard explained that the scheme has grown in the last year to include things like recipe cards, to help people know what to make from the items they get.
Funding from Buckinghamshire Council has helped this scheme to expand into areas like recipe cards.
Councillor Carl Jackson says the scheme showcases the best of Buckinghamshire residents:
"You have feeding people who need support, the fact its health food and the fact its local food.
"Its the perfect model of sustainable food but with a huge community aspect so I am pleased to support it.
"The community response to the pandemic has been inspiring and I think its also helped us realise how many people need help and how we can provide that support.
"The Grow to Give scheme is being funded by Buckinghamshire Council in this one off instance but we are always going to want to sustain schemes like this."
Home growers and allotment growers are working together to provide surplus that gets collected by volunteers in the scheme.
John at Wendover Ashbrook has been providing surplus food for the scheme:
"You have food that is going to be fresher than from other places and if others can benefit from it then all the better.
"We know when the collections are and if I can I try to get here an hour or so earlier to I can pick things fresh to give and hopefully someone will be able to benefit.
"Its refreshing and nice to be part of a scheme where people can enjoy your surplus food, especially when a lot of people are struggling."