Pagham farm delivering food boxes worth £25 for free in fight against food waste
The farm, which also provides hands-on agricultural experience to young people and volunteers, started the delivery service during the first lockdown in an effort to help vulnerable people get the food they needed, when they needed it.
Craig Pinkney, part of the management team at Crimsham Farm, said: “people were struggling to get a delivery slot from the major supermarkets and we were able to fill that gap, we had lots of people who couldn’t work and had young children at home, so we decided to be proactive and address the issue and that’s how it started. It lasted 14 weeks.”
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Hide AdOn February 22, the delivery service relaunched, delivering 30 food boxes to families throughout Bognor Regis in a matter of days. Alongside fresh fruit and vegetables sourced from Munneries in East Wittering, the food boxes also contain fresh eggs and tinned staples like beans and soups.
Mr Pinkney said: “It’s quite simply fare, really. Simple fare you can do regular food with. You’ll get a roast dinner out of it. You’ll get baked potatoes out of it and you’ll have a filling for those baked potatoes.”
Even though the government has announced plans to lift lockdown measures , times are still tough for many in Bognor Regis, which has one of the worst food poverty rates on the South Coast.
Mr Pinkney said: “Financially, I think it’s started to hit home for families. People have exhausted their savings.”
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Hide AdThere is no criteria to apply. Anyone who wants a free food box is free to ask for one, but the Pagham team is still accepting donations, the money from which goes straight back into continuing to provide the service. For Mr. Pinkney, the delivery service is not about judgement, referrals or a strict criteria. He said: “Just be honest with us. The food boxes are free, they are for people who need them and, if you need one, that’s all we need to know.”
Food boxes are delivered before 12PM on Monday’s, Wednesdays and Fridays but delivery dates vary depending on the date of an application.
To find out more about Crimsham Farm’s work in the community, visit crimsham-farm.co.uk