A DROITWICH community garden has been praised as a ‘much-needed lifeline’ for supplying fruit and vegetables to the town’s foodbank.
The Winslow Avenue garden, owned by Fortis Living, has provided produce to Droitwich Foodbank for the past two summers and was recognised for a Wychavon Commuity Award earlier this year.
Transformed from wasteland with the help of a Lottery grant in 2014, the garden produces a range of vegetables from potatoes, tomatoes, squashes and pumpkins to courgettes, marrows, onions and carrots.
It also provides such fruit as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, plums, apples and cherries.
Mary Stanbury, Droitwich foodbank manager said: “Often, fresh produce is something visitors to our foodbank miss out on.
“Our food parcels – which last for up to three days – are typically made up of non-perishable items so it is fantastic to be able to offer fresh produce too.
“We would like to thank both Fortis Living and the garden’s dedicated team of helpers for providing a much needed lifeline to local residents.”
The garden is run by a team of dedicated volunteers and is also well used by local groups of cubs, scouts and beavers working towards their environmental badges.
Chris Colley, community officer at Fortis Living, said: “With one in five people in the UK now living below the poverty line, foodbanks like the one in Droitwich are sadly an essential part of some people’s lives.
“It is heart-warming that nothing is wasted and all the produce goes back into the community.”
Volunteers meet at Droitwich community garden every Thursday morning over the summer months, from 10am until midday.
To find out more or register as a volunteer please contact Chris Colley, community officer at Fortis Living on 01684 579453.
