Milton is pioneering a new international project called Foodshare, which collects and delivers surplus food grown on Allotments and in Kitchen Gardens to a local charity. Today sees the launch of the Kitchen Garden scheme in Milton which is collecting surplus produce for Milton’s Childrens Hospice. Following the successful launch on Milton’s Allotment (which donated over £200 to the Hospice last month), the Kitchen Garden scheme is encouraging every kitchen gardener in the village to donate any surplus produce to the Hospice.

Any surplus produce can be dropped off at the Foodshare “Donation Station” outside 1 Faulkner Close (off The Sycamores). Deliveries are made daily to the Hospice kitchen ensuring the freshest, local produce for the children and their families. The aim of the scheme is to reduce the rising food bills charities face, as well as reducing food waste and food “miles”.

The 100% volunteer-powered project made BBC news headlines on Friday and was heavily featured on BBC’s “Dougan Does Gardening” Radio show on Sunday. It has already received an endorsement from BBC’s Penny Poyzer who presented the “No Waste Like Home” show on BBC2. The project is appealing for anyone who would:

a) Like to host a Foodshare Donation Box and/or
b) Become a “Hamper Santa” (deliver produce to the Hospice on a set day each week)
c) Join the team to help in other ways

If you would like to get involved, please email Mark Desvaux at mark@foodsharenetwork.org

Please also spread the word to friends and families outside of Milton as the scheme hopes to inspire other villages and towns to adopt the Foodshare scheme. Last week, a town in France and New Zealand both joined Foodshare.