Our Story 

The Veg Box Donation Scheme (VBDS), a Christian charity, started in June 2020 in Potton, Bedfordshire.  Sharon Mey, the founder of the scheme, who with her husband is a keen allotment and home gardener, realised how often they had extra produce. Could the surplus somehow be used to benefit the community, by providing those in need with a healthy diet?
 
The idea grew to organize a weekly collection of surplus fresh, local and seasonal produce donated by allotment and communal gardeners and other sources, and to distribute it on the same day, free of charge, in the form of veg boxes delivered directly to those in financial need within the community who had been referred to VBDS. The veg box could include vegetables, herbs, fruit, flowers, eggs, and honey, and at times home baked goods.

The summer months were extraordinarily successful, with generous donations from the allotment and other local growers, and there was sufficient each week to provide for those referred to VBDS. As winter drew near, the decision had to be made whether, or how, to continue, as the grower donations would dwindle in the colder months. The need for fruit and vegetables in the winter and the spring ‘hungry gap’ would continue for those VBDS provides for, particularly with the Covid-19 pandemic causing additional hardship with layoffs, furloughs, and businesses not able to continue as normal.



The consensus was to continue with the Veg Box Donation Scheme over the winter but to focus on acquiring donations from organisations such as schools, vegetable distributors and supermarkets, while still holding weekly collections at set locations for local community donations. This has worked well with many generous donations each week and has enabled us to slowly increase the number of households provided for. Grant funding has also been important in helping to fill the gap.

In March 2023 VBDS was registered as a charity with the Charity Commission. As we move  forward, the need for veg boxes continues to grow, as does the need for produce for the boxes, cash donations and grant funding to purchase the shortfall, and for volunteers to help with collections, packing and delivering. We are not feeding the five thousand – yet – but the vision is it to build up many small village/town/neighbourhood Veg Box Donation Schemes across the country, feeding the poor and helping to reduce food waste. Locally sourced food for local households in need, provided and run by the local community! Please contact us if you would like more info or to volunteer.

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Funding provided by:

• Potton Consolidated Charity
• Cllrs Wye, Bond, Fage and How, via the Central Bedfordshire Ward Councillor Grants
• Sainsbury's Helping Everyone Eat Better Community Grants Programme 2022/23
• Deepdale Trees
• Langford and Biggleswade Windfarm Community Fund
• Lidl Community Fund 
• Funding was awarded by BLCF on behalf of Luton Rising Near Neighbours programme
• Biggleswade Town Council
• Sandy Town Council
• Potton Town Council (discount on hall hire)
• National Lottery Community Fund
• Donations from community groups and individuals