Surplus Produce Partnerships Announced To Help Fuel Food Initiatives to People with Food Insecurity

People in food poverty need our help

Food poverty is something that widely affects people here in the UK. Being in food poverty is defined by a household being unable to acquire an adequate quality or sufficient quality of food in socially acceptable ways. In fact, between the years of 2023/24, it’s reported that over 3.12 million people used a food bank (in comparison to just 26,000 in 2008/09). And with the food prices on the rise since the second half of 2021 and 97% of people seeing an increase in their food shopping it’s no wonder the food banks are under pressure to provide.

Growing vegetables is a gateway to helping families who are going hungry

At Roots, one of our values is providing everyone with the means to grow their own. We firmly believe that everyone should have access to good, nutritious food that’s affordable and accessible. Typically, growing your own food decreases food waste by 95% but we decided to start up a scheme to ensure no vegetable goes to waste and simultaneously help out families and individuals who are struggling with food insecurity. As well as offering our members an easy way to help feed families and individuals in their local community through their produce donations.

Growing your own isn’t just good for helping the planet by reducing your carbon footprint, saving on the plastic and other materials used for packaging and stopping the use of chemicals affecting our land and animals – it’s also a tool for helping the community and providing accessibility to nutritionally rich chemical-free homegrown food. 

Meet our partners who are helping us pave the way 

We’ve partnered with some incredible organisations across the UK  including local soup kitchens, community pantries and charities that are helping the community through food. 

Crop Drop

Crop Drop is a community-led veg box scheme based in Haringey, London, dedicated to providing fresh, seasonal, and sustainably sourced produce. The scheme helps allotment holders provide fresh produce to residents, a project that redistributes allotment produce to community organisations and non-profit organisations that deliver organic fruit and vegetable boxes. Every week they rock up to our {INSERT SITE} to collect our donations and redistribute through their network. 

CreART Collective 

CreART Collective CIC is a social enterprise dedicated to using the transformative power of art to foster community engagement, personal development, and social inclusion. Based in the UK, CreART offers a wide range of creative workshops, events, and projects that empower individuals of all ages and backgrounds to express themselves, build confidence, and connect with others. Through its initiatives, CreART aims to promote mental well-being, support marginalised communities, and nurture creativity as a tool for positive change.

Peckham Soup Kitchen

‍Peckham Soup Kitchen is a charitable organisation dedicated to supporting vulnerable individuals in the Peckham community by providing hot meals, essential supplies, and a welcoming space. Focused on addressing food insecurity and social isolation, the kitchen serves nourishing meals to those in need, including the homeless, low-income families, and others facing difficult circumstances. Beyond food assistance, Peckham Soup Kitchen also offers a range of support services, aiming to uplift and empower the local community by fostering connections, offering guidance, and helping individuals regain stability in their lives.

At just one site, we donated over 3,000 portions of fruit and veg 

At Roots, our commitment to fighting food poverty and supporting our community shines through in our impressive donation efforts. From our Bath site alone, we’ve contributed over 3,000 portions of fresh fruit and vegetables to those in need. This significant impact is a testament to the collective power of our gardening initiative and the generosity of our members.

Every piece of produce donated plays a crucial role in alleviating hunger and promoting well-being to those that need it the most. By partnering with organisations like Crop Drop, CreART Collective, and Peckham Soup Kitchen, we ensure that our donations reach the people who need them most.

Crop Drop distributes our excess produce through their network, making fresh, seasonal vegetables available to those who might otherwise go without. CreART Collective uses the produce to enhance their community projects, integrating fresh food into their creative initiatives and outreach programs. Meanwhile, Peckham Soup Kitchen incorporates our donations into their daily meals, providing nourishing, nutritious food to vulnerable individuals and families.

Together, these collaborations highlight the power of community and the difference that collective action can make. Our efforts not only help to reduce food waste but also ensure that healthy, chemical-free produce is accessible to everyone. As we continue to grow and expand our donations, we remain dedicated to making a positive impact and supporting those facing food insecurity.

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Interested in other ways that Roots helps the community?

🍆 Read about our partnership with Black Farmers Market here

🍅 Helping this Bristol school’s growing area back up and running

🥬 Teaching the kids in Croydon how to GYO

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Hey friend! We’re Roots Allotments.

We create shared spaces for local food production and nature. They provide members with everything they need to get started, from seeds, tools, and plants, to growing advice, whilst fostering community with in-person workshops and events. The spaces consist of a mixture of biodiversity-boosting habitats like native woodland and hedgerows, fruit orchards, insect habitats, ponds, and wildflower meadows. Together we can show that food can be grown with nature and not against it.

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