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Learn more about other projects taking place across the UK
Food Sharing
Shrewsbury Food Hub supports a number of food sharing tables and community fridges/freezers. Food is available to the local community free or for a small donation. More info
Foodshare operates in Broseley, Ironbridge, Bridgnorth, Highley & Leegomery. Food is available for a £1 voluntary donation.
Community Gardening
In the heart of Wem Incredible Edible grow fresh fruit and vegetables which are available for anyone from the community to harvest for free.
Holiday Hunger
In Wem the community have come together to develop projects where food is available for free to local families in the school holidays. More info
Community Meals
In Oswestry OsNosh prepare a weekly lunch on thursday which is open to all on a Pay as You Feel basis. Using surplus food they are able to feed anyone in the community at a low cost, bringing people together to share a meal.
In Ludlow, the Rockspring Community Centre hold a weekly meal for the community. For £2 diners are able to come together to enjoy a hot meal and a pudding.
In Shrewsbury Osnosh and Shrewsbury Food Hub run a monthly community meal held in local church halls. Everyone is welcome for an optional Pay as you Feel donation. More info.
UK Food Projects
There are some fantastic community led food projects running across the UK which increase access to low cost affordable food. Many of these projects could work well in rural parts of Shropshire:
Affordable Food Boxes
A scheme in Chesterfield provides low income households with an affordable box of food for a weekly cost of £7. The food is sourced from Fareshare and each box would have cost around £40 if bought directly from a supermarket.
Food Clubs & Pantries
There are many Food Clubs opening across the country. For example the Mustard Tree Food Club allows people to choose 10 food items in return for a £2 weekly membership fee. In Stockport the local Housing Association has partnered with Church Action on Poverty to open Food Pantries. In return for a weekly membership fee of £2.50 members are able to choose 10 items of food. They are now rolling out their pantry model across the UK.
Food Co-ops
In Wales over 300 schools and other community venues run food co-ops where people come together to group buy fruit, vegetables, meat, eggs and bakery items, saving the average customer £220 per year.
Good Food Hubs
Good Food Hubs are being trialled in Liverpool. They re-imagine meals on wheels to create a service which feeds everyone the community well. Community centres act as Good Food Hubs, where meals can be ordered for delivery (either to the centre or to the persons home). Slow cooker bags which contain prepared ingredients are available for people with limited mobility. They also supply a 'safety box' which contains everything you would need in your cupboards after hospital discharge.
Breakfast Clubs & Holiday Hunger
The National School Breakfast Programme is supporting 1775 schools to provide free breakfast clubs around the UK. Many parts of the UK are also running projects addressing children's hunger during the school holidays. Projects like Make Lunch cook meals for families throughout the holiday periods.
Fruit & Veg Vouchers
Children's Centres in six parts of the UK can give Rose Vouchers to low income families which can be exchanged for fresh fruit and vegetables. Most of the schemes partner with local market traders, but in Liverpool they have a mobile fruit and vegetable van which travels around the city. In London the NHS are also trialling prescriptions for fruit & vegetables as part of a wider Social Prescribing trial.