Feeding our own with Clydesdale's surplus harvest

Waste not, want not is the old adage behind a very new initiative by Clydesdale groups, eager to see our area's surplus food going to those who need it most.
Some of the donations going to the Carluke FoodbankSome of the donations going to the Carluke Foodbank
Some of the donations going to the Carluke Foodbank

Excess strawberries, cauliflowers, potatoes, cucumbers along with other varieties of fruit and vegetables grown through community projects throughout our area, famed for its fruit and vegetable growing, are now being donated to Carluke Food Bank.

The Food Co-operative scheme is being co-ordinated by the Lanark-based Clydesdale Community Initiatives (CCI) and it is delighted that so many diverse organisations from almost every corner of Clydesdale have come together to help a very important - and very local - cause.

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The scheme has many, many advantages, not least the fact that the fresh, healthy produce going to the foodbank has next to zero ‘food miles’, being grown locally.

CCI has drawn together a food-growing and donating partnership of Lanark’s Castlebank Park renewal project, Forth and District Initiative Eco Project, Larkhall Community Growers, Lesmahagow Allotments and Clyde Valley Orchard Co-operative.

Said Catherine McCluskey of CCI: “Not only are we growing for our stunning new kitchen to provide a cooked lunch for our own volunteers, we are also part of a food-growing consortium of local food growers that supply the Carluke food bank with fresh produce.

“This is doubly rewarding for our volunteers to help out.”

Added Nancy Barr, Larkhall Community Growers Project manager: “We feel privileged to be part of the network of community organisations that make up the Food Co-operative and the volunteers at Hareleeshill Community Garden are pleased to be able to share some of their produce with Carluke Foodbank.”

Meanwhile, a growing number of other environmental volunteering opportunities are available throughout Clydesdale.

A full list can be found at http://www.clydeandavonvalley.org/get-involved/volunteer.