Local foodbanks and food sharing groups could soon be benefiting even more from apples plucked by volunteers from local orchards and trees.
Swansea Council has awarded a £10,600 grant to a local charity that picks surplus fruit from local trees and orchards for distribution onwards to those who need them most.
The cash will go towards a feasibility study to create apple storage facilities so the fruit can be stored and distributed over time thereby reducing wastage and enabling the apples to last longer and go further.
The initiative is being led by local community interest company Cyfoeth y Coed – the Riches of the Trees – and is being supported by Swansea’s Environment Centre’s Anna Williams.
Anna said: “We’ve got a great team of volunteers who do the fruit picking so local people who need support from their local food share groups or food bank can enjoy the freshest, most local apples available.
“And you don’t need to own an orchard to help our pickers. If you own a couple of trees and have apples to spare, you can register with us and we’ll arrange to drop by and get picking for the apples you don’t want.”
Anna’s passion for apples is undeniable and her work heavily relies on the support of a dedicated team of volunteers, and the kindness of fruit tree owners, who register their trees on the website for picking.
Councillor Andrew Stevens, Cabinet Member for Environment and Infrastructure, commented: “The Cyfoeth Y Coed project has been a fantastic initiative that not only helps tackle the issue of food waste but also brings communities together.
“My experience with the project has been incredibly positive; the volunteers have collected surplus produce from my own veg garden and apples that otherwise would have gone to waste.
“It’s been both rewarding and beneficial to see this food put to good use. The team is dedicated and doing outstanding environmental work to ensure that good food doesn’t go to waste. I’m proud to support this excellent project.”
The grant has been secured for Cyfoeth y Coed by Swansea Council’s Rural Anchor team from the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund.
