The team mapped food outlets and community venues, noted the lack of fresh fruit and vegetables and followed this up with some quick surveys to gauge demand. They found there was demand from the local community for organic produce.

The first idea was to work with someone who ran a fruit and vegetable stall at the car boot sale. However, he proved difficult to pin down, so they approached the organisers of the farmers’ market who were keen. The team then approached Plowright Organic Produce who agreed to supply the farmers’ market.

Not everyone is able to access a farmers’ market so the team decided to set up a food co-op fruit and vegetable box scheme. They assessed demand and identified possible suppliers, venues and storage facilities, and looked at costs and funding.

They engaged a supplier and a trial period and launch date was agreed. The trial was a success, so the team engaged new members to provide the workforce to sustain the scheme.