Community group donates 10 tonnes of vegetables to food banks

A community group in County Fermanagh has grown 10 tonnes (10,000kg) of vegetables to help meet a huge increase in demand for help from food banks.

The Veg Bank Project supplies nutritious, fresh produce to supplement donations from shops and supermarkets.

Its seeds were sewn during the first lockdown by Dianne Little and Trevor Armstrong.

The pair are from Letterbreen and Mullaghdun Partnership.

They contacted Wilson's Country in Portadown, County Armagh, and the potato grower agreed to donate two tonnes of seed potatoes.

With help from farmers, schools, men's sheds, community groups and individuals, the potatoes were planted in fields and raised beds across Fermanagh.

They were also given cabbages, leeks and onions, as well as growing thousands of carrots from seed.

'People who donated are needing food'

Dianne Little said the project had generated a large amount of goodwill, and people who had turned to the food bank for help had been involved.

"People who used to donate to the food bank are now needing the food bank - nobody knows what's going to happen," she said.

"If we can get sustainable, fresh, good nutritious food growing in the community it is good for everybody."

Dianne Little and Trevor Armstrong had help in getting the project off the ground

Tom Maguire, one of the famers who provided land for the project, added: "It's everybody pulling together and that really makes it.

"In this depressing time, it's just wonderful to see something positive and really uplifting as well."

'They could have been going anywhere'

A class of P6 children from Jones Memorial Primary School, in Enniskillen, have been helping to harvest the potatoes.

Their teacher Gareth Barbour said after all the disruption of Covid-19 the pupils were shocked when they heard they were getting out of the classroom on a school trip.

"Little did they know they were going to a field, but in terms of happiness we could have been going anywhere," he said.

Teacher Gareth Barbour said helping with the project has been "really positive" for pupils

"Just to get out into the fresh air and be helping the local community in Enniskillen with the food bank has been really positive for them."

Bags of freshly dug potatoes are taken to the food bank where they are put into food parcels and hampers.

'No need to be embarrassed'

The manager of Enniskillen Food Bank, John Shades, has thanked the generous response from the community.

He has urged anyone who requires assistance to get in touch.

"There is no need to be embarrassed, we don't judge, confidentiality is very high, if you need help please come and see us and we will do what we can."