In summer of 2015, the University partnered as a stakeholder with the Kindling Trust to launch an organic box scheme, Veg Box People, with collection points on campus. This has now grown across the city to 20 collection points in Greater Manchester. The University continues to support the growth of Veg Box, most recently with growing spaces of organic produce within the University’s botanical gardens as part of Firs Environmental Research station.

Since this spring, Botany society Treasurer and member Tess Hayton and Oliver Hughes have organised a weekly donation of surplus fresh salad leaves and greens harvested from the polytunnels at the botanical gardens. The leaves are picked by student volunteers to supplement a fresh produce veg box initiative run by Oldham Councils’ Environmental Services volunteer team at Alexandra Park, producing 20 veg boxes each week for users of Oldham Foodbank. This provision developed from the Council’s emergency response to the Covid-19 pandemic, using greenhouses, cold frames and space at the Alexandra Park depot to grow fresh veg for local communities in need.

It is hoped that the supply of surplus veg from Firs will continue with further crops helping to supply a new project piloted in Oldham to establish an affordable veg box scheme using locally grown produce, aimed at Oldham residents moving out of emergency food provision and those on low income, providing recipe and cooking skill support to make the best use of the produce.

Dave Hanlon from Oldham Council, said: “I am particularly keen to link with existing allotment growers and growing groups in Oldham and Greater Manchester and the excellent support we have received from Tess and Oliver has shown how we can co-ordinate the gleaning of surplus produce to help local people who struggle to access healthy and nutritious food.”