Caldicot primary school takes on the supermarkets

Parents and volunteers from Caldicot West End school are fighting back against the current escalating food prices on the high street by starting a food co-op for local residents.

A food co-op is a group of people coming together in a community to buy top quality fresh fruit and vegetables in bulk at affordable prices.  Everybody pays £2.50 for a bag of vegetables and/or £2.50 for a bag of fruit or salad in the summer. The co-op is run on a non-profit making basis and everyone gets an equal share of the produce.

Volunteers meet each Thursday afternoon to ‘bag up' the fresh fruit and vegetables.

Produce is sourced as locally as possible with well known local wholesaler Philip Jones supplying the produce from his premises in Goytre. Philip also supplies three other Monmouthshire co-ops in the county.

The project is supported by the Rural Regeneration Unit and Monmouthshire County Council's ‘Health Challenge Monmouthshire'.

Hannah James from the Rural Regeneration Unit said:

"The Co-op will deliver real benefits to local people including direct health benefits from increased fruit and veg consumption. As this is a community development, it is run by local people for themselves, and they have the full benefit of driving down the prices by buying in bulk."

If you are interested in buying from the co-op you can call in at West End School on Thursday afternoon and speak to the volunteers.

Alternatively, for more information about co-ops contact Hannah James, Rural Regeneration Unit on 02920 232943 or Bernadette Kelly from Monmouthshire Health Alliance at Monmouthshire County Council, 01633 644670.