A scheme which supports people to eat healthily and helps the environment has celebrated its first birthday.
Wirral Bag a Bargain offers local communities access to cheaper locally grown fruit and vegetables.
When it was launched the initiative operated out of just three venues in the Tranmere and Rock Ferry areas, providing residents with access to quality fruit and vegetables and salad at a cost of just £2.50 a bag. Following a successful bid for Neighbourhood Renewal Funding the number of venues has grown to eight and there are plans to expand into other neighbourhoods and schools across Wirral.
The scheme sells around 190 bags per week and the aim is to double that. Since its launch more than 8,600 bags have been sold.
Bag a Bargain was set up as part of Together, the Neighbourhood Management Pathfinders’ Healthy Neighbourhood plan, which is led by Wirral Primary Care Trust (PCT) in partnership with residents. Its success is largely due to the involvement of local volunteers who help run the scheme. Together recently appointed Green Apprentices (the organisation helping unemployed young people access training and employment) to support residents in delivering Bag a Bargain.
Bag a Bargain is also part of the Healthy Start Scheme, which means that mums or pregnant women can exchange their Healthy Start Vouchers for bags of fruit, vegetables or salad at any of the Bag a Bargain venues.
Bag a Bargain operates out of the following venues every Tuesday between
12 and 3 p.m.
• St Paul’s Church, Tranmere
• Tranmere Community Project
• Courtney Road Community House (Woodward Estate), Rock Ferry
• St. Peter’s Church, Rock Ferry
• Beechwood Advice Centre
• Clover Drive Community House, North Birkenhead
• St James Centre, Laird Street, Birkenhead
For more information please contact Debbie Masters on 644 4830.
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