Last month we saved over £3,000 worth of food
We are now just over six months since the national lockdown was first announced in March 2020. SW Fruit & Veg was set-up at the start of lockdown to help those who were struggling to get delivery slots access fresh produce. We also saw it as an opportunity to support the vendors at New Covent Garden Market, who overnight lost 90% of their business. During this time we have delivered to over 1000 households within the South West London area.
We couldn’t have done this without our army of volunteers, support from Wandsworth council and those who offered us space to operate out of and pack boxes.
We also wanted to support those communities most in need. This included those on low incomes who needed additional support and amazing local organisations who were focussed on providing hot meals to NHS and key workers. As a result, we set up our Donate a Box scheme where our customers have donated almost £10,000. With that money we have been able to support the following organisations:
- Age UK Wandsworth
- Home Cafe
- HomeInstead Key workers
- The Passage
- Rackets Cubed - Roehampton boxes
Testimonials from some of our partners:
We are Home Community Kitchen, a food hub located at St Andrew’s church, Earlsfield run by the Home Community Cafe and Earlsfield Foodbank.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March, we identified a need to get people access to nutritious food. Early on we partnered with the Foodbank, to cook and distribute between 400-700 meals a week. These meals are going to local vulnerable elderly people, those that are shielding, those being supported by the foodbank, people returning from hospital, and also to staff at the hospitals who are working so hard on behalf of all of us.
Since we started running this service, SW Fruit & Veg have been supporting us by supplying us with donations of fresh fruits and veg. Every single week they rock up with an amazing array for us. This incredible fresh produce has allowed us to cook nutritious, (and delicious!) home-cooked food at a time where there is so much need. It has been a privilege to be involved with something that can have a real impact at this difficult time.
We have seen such an incredible out-pouring of community goodwill and support. We would not have been able to do what we are doing without the support of our friends at SW Fruit & Veg. Their support and generosity has been invaluable to us and so many others.
Their model of donating a box when you buy one for yourself, has enabled us to keep feeding people throughout this incredibly tough period. It really has been a lifeline for so many.
We are so grateful to SW Fruit & Veg for all that they have done for us - and continue to do. Thank you SW Fruit & Veg - keep up the amazing work!
The last 5 months have been such a strange and stressful time. As key workers, our staff have been incredible in the support that they have given to our clients who have been really nervous and fearful during the pandemic.
To have beautiful fruit and vegetables delivered to our office each week by your lovely people has been a highlight to the week. We have been able to deliver over 100 boxes to unsuspecting CAREGivers, who have really enjoyed receiving them. They have shared them with their family and also made fruit pies, soups, and fruit salads for themselves and their clients. One week, we had a glut of oranges and one of our CAREGivers made marmalade with their client – they had great fun!
To all at SW Fruit and Veg – thank you from the bottom of our hearts for bringing health and fresh joy to our lives when we needed it!
With lockdown easing throughout August and September, we have spent the last month reflecting on what next. With local lockdowns looming we want to build up our donations again so that we can support those who need it most. We continue to operate our Donate a Box scheme via our website
We have also spent September focussing on the redistribution of food surplus. Last month we saved over £3,000 worth of food and given it to food banks within the South West London area.
Thank you again to everyone who has supported us up to this point. We are continuing to work hard to deliver fresh produce, support in need and focus on saving food from going to waste.
You can help us in this by ordering a weekly box (deadline is Monday night) or donating a box via our website.
