Bournemouth starts campaign to make vegetables more accessible on the high street

The next day the campaign featured in a NHS celebration event at The Bournemouth Hospital, starting a conversation with NHS staff about healthy eating and loving vegetables. Boscombe is popular for its lower house prices and rents, and a large number of public sector workers, including nurses, live in the area.

Bournemouth and Poole food partnership received funding from Sustainable Food Cities to run a Veg Cities campaign aimed at increasing availability and consumption of vegetables in Boscombe, the most deprived area in Bournemouth, and one of the most deprived in the South West.

The campaign aims to build a positive food culture on Boscombe high street which encourages and enables residents to increase their vegetable consumption, and make better food choices for life. The campaign will work closely with local partners including The Council Regeneration team and Public Health Dorset and will use the learnings to replicate the ‘Veg High Streets’ approach across Bournemouth and Poole.

Over the next 12 months, the campaign will establish a new weekly veg stall at Boscombe market and promote it to families eligible for Healthy Start Vouchers. They will also promote the Healthy Start scheme in the local Children’s Centres. Furthermore, the team will install and manage a growing space in Boscombe high street and deliver cooking workshops at Boscombe market, Children’s Centres and Boscombe Library.

To tackle the issue of vegetables being wasted, the campaign the team is planning to set up a surplus food network, organise Wasteless surplus food community meals, promote Boscombe Community Fridge to residents and business donors and show how food surplus can be easily transformed in amazing meals through cooking demonstration at Boscombe market.