Getting Healthy and Going Green
Taking advantage of a £1 million grant, a new food co-operative scheme has been launched in a Cardiff local community to try and improve resident’s health and well being.
Financed by the Welsh Assembly Government, and one of 270 such schemes nation wide, the newly opened Splott food co-operative has utilised around £200 of the Wales wide funding pot, which allows people to buy fresh fruit and vegetables at wholesale prices.
A group of volunteers organised by the Rural Regeneration Unit, a government quango, runs the service.
Hannah James, food development worker for the Splott co-op said:
” Our aim is to not only support wholesalers and farms on one side but to improve peoples health and bring fruit and vegetables back into peoples diets.
” It is open to everyone to come along and take part. You come and see what is on offer, place your order and then the same time next week your delivery arrives and you pick it up from the market.”
“The average cost of a bag of produce is £2.50 and would cater for a families ‘five a day’ needs for a week.”
Running since 2004 the co-op project seeks to close the distance between farm and consumer, allowing both to benefit from increased sales margins and decreased prices, each project costs £200 on average to set up and is then self sustaining. A Welsh Assembly Government spokesman commented on investment in community food co-ops in Wales:
“Latest figures for the end of March show that food co-operatives operating in Wales provide fruit and vegetables to approximately 6,500 families. The co-operatives across Wales sell around 11,000 bags of fruit and vegetables per week.
“Just over a million pounds has been invested by the Assembly Government in the scheme across Wales since April 2008. Food co-operatives support six growers, 20 retailers, and 16 wholesalers.
“The retailers and wholesalers are selected on the basis that they provide as much local produce as possible. One of the growers supplies more than 30 of the co-operatives in North Wales.”
Debbie Neale, general manager of rural regeneration unit, said:
” Those who take part in the co-op can gain important skills such as book keeping, money handling, and customer service.
“It also helps to improve links within communities and gives people confidence a boost.
” Our aim is also to empower communities to be more self- sustainable and help local farmers in each area sell only a specific amount of crops each week without losing out to a middle man.”
For those who wish to participate in a co-op venture contact Hannah James on 029 2023 2943 or 0771
7205 438.
