Category

• Promising Local Practice

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Poverty impact

• Mitigation

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Poverty driver

• Provide benefit in-kind (material)

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Keywords

• Food
• Health and Wellbeing
• Family Support
• Community Engagement
• Household Goods

Aim

To provide food vouchers to families with children under five with the aim of reducing food poverty and improving unhealthy diets. It strives to move away from the food bank model by encouraging service users to choose healthy foods from farmers markets, greengrocers, and participating local traders. Ultimately, the project aims to provide children from low-income families with a healthy start to life.

Summary

The Rose Vouchers for Fruit and Veg Project strives to provide children from low-income families with the healthiest, best possible start to life. It does so by providing low-income families, including pregnant mothers, with food vouchers to use at participating local providers and farmers markets. In shifting away from the food bank model, the project has incentivised families in need to choose fresh fruit and vegetables. The project has significantly reduced food poverty and encouraged families to lead healthier lives nationwide. In doing so, it has also improved local economies by supporting local traders and markets.

What difference does it make?

The project has made an immense impact on healthy food consumption. On average, those who received the Rose Vouchers increased their consumption of fruit and vegetables by three items per day. Approximately 55% of parents who received the Rose Vouchers now eat five items of fruit or vegetables per day, which has increased from 15%. Approximately 64% of children now eat five or more items of fruit or vegetables per day, which has increased from 7%. The scheme is also working on palette training from a young age.

Key take-aways

• Always be curious about the work you are doing.

 

Organisations

The Alexandra Rose Charity, Local farmers markets, greengrocers, and participating food traders in the communities the project operates within.

Location

UK (Barnsley, Glasgow, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Lambeth, Liverpool, Southwark, Tower Hamlets).

Contact