Alexandra Rose Charity is celebrating their 110th anniversary with a fundraising campaign to support families in Liverpool to access fresh fruit and vegetables.
Throughout September, Alexandra Rose Charity aims to raise £20,000 to support the Liverpool Rose Vouchers for Fruit & Veg Project. The Rose Vouchers Project has been running in Liverpool since 2017, helping nearly 1,000 families to date, to buy the fruit and veg they need.
Rose Vouchers are available for families with young children under five years old and pregnant women, in the Granby, Dingle, Belle Vale, Picton and Wavertree areas of Liverpool. The vouchers are collected by families each week from their local children’s centre. A mobile fruit and veg bus run by Banana Bunch visits each children’s centre every week where families can spend their vouchers on the fruit and veg of their choice.
“Our Liverpool Rose Vouchers for Fruit & Veg Project was our first project to use a bus to bring fruit and veg to families living in areas of the city that are food deserts, where there is limited access to affordable, fresh fruit and veg. We know Rose Vouchers make a huge difference to the families we support. Our fundraising campaign this month aims to ensure we can keep our Liverpool project going, so we can continue to be there for families in the tough times ahead.”
Jonathan Pauling
Chief Executive, Alexandra Rose CharityIt is estimated that 32% of families in Liverpool are food insecure – where food is a source of worry, frustration, and stress.[1]
A donation of £20 to Alexandra Rose Charity will provide a family with fruit and veg for a month, with £60 supporting a family with fruit and veg for three months, and £240 helping a family access the fruit and veg they need for a whole year.
“I’ve been involved with the Liverpool Rose Vouchers Project right from the start in 2017. It’s been so marvellous to see how much Rose Vouchers change lives. I can see how much the children enjoy getting on the bus, choosing the fruit and vegetables they want. The vouchers also give parents the chance to experiment a bit with different fruit and veg, without worrying that they’ve wasted money if their children don’t like it. Friendships have formed through the vouchers, with families recommending others to the bus and engaging more with the support and activities children’s centres offer. It’s a brilliant, brilliant project and must continue to support as many families in Liverpool as possible.”
Lucy Antal
Chair of the Liverpool Rose Vouchers for Fruit & Veg Project Steering Group & BBC Food and Farming Awards Community Food Champion“Using the Rose Vouchers is very easy and they’re a great financial help. It’s amazing to have the opportunity to buy the fruit & veg I want as a single parent. The prices on the van are fair, and I can get a lot.”
Lina, a mum from Liverpool
Donations of any size will make a huge difference to local families. If you’d like to find out more, please visit the charity’s JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/AlexandraRoseCharity-LiverpoolProject
[1] https://www.feedingliverpool.org/context-and-background/why-is-it-important-and-why-now/