Over 15 million people in the UK live in poverty.
According to the Legatum Institute, before the pandemic, 14.4 million people in the UK were living in poverty. This number increased by another 690,000 by Winter 2020 due to the impact of Covid. Living in poverty means families struggle to feed their families and rely on donations / food banks to feed their families. Closer to home, 1 in 4 children in Letchworth live in poverty (Source Best Before Cafe). Families who live in poverty, constantly live with the anxiety of wondering where the next meal will come from.
Clothall Road Allotment Holders Donation Box
Back in early 2020, a few members of the Clothall Allotment Site decided to set up a donation box where allotment holders can put their excess fruit and veg in on a Monday or Thursday evening throughout the Summer and Autumn. One allotment holder even supplies homemade chutneys and jams (complying with Natasha’s law by fully labelling the ingredients). The produce is then taken to the Food Bank in Letchworth the following morning – any food not taken by customers of the food bank then goes to the Best Before Café; which continues the fight against poverty.
There is no pressure for anyone to donate anything, but donations are very gratefully received. There are even some allotment holders have grown extra produce with a view to donating to the food bank. So far in the 2021 season alone, we estimate that Clothall Road allotment holders have generously donated in excess of £600 of produce, a significant increase on 2020.
Feedback from the food back, and Suzy who runs the Best Before Café is constant and full of superlatives – they always say how beautiful, fresh and tasty the produce is; and how much of a difference it makes to those who struggle to feed their families. They are always so very grateful.
How Can You Help?
Please donate any excess fruit or veg that you have.
If you have any spare space on your allotment where you can grow extra fruit or veg, or have any excess seeds / onion sets etc, please grow them with a view to donating to the food bank.
What and how to Donate
Please place all produce in the black box located by the water tank near the main gate on a Monday or Thursday evening.
Please donate produce that you would be prepared to eat yourselves.
It is very helpful if produce is bagged up/ placed in re-cycled punnets in small amounts, so that it is easy for food bank customers to carry home.
If the produce is muddy, please remove any dirt or give them a quick wash.
On behalf of the Food Bank and the Best Before Café – a very big and heartfelt THANK YOU to those who have donated, you have made such a difference!
If you have any questions, please speak to Andy CR17B/ CR16A