Newark and Sherwood District Council launched the Crop Drop scheme 12 months ago and it is aimed at giving allotment holders the chance to support residents across the district with fresh fruit and vegetables.
One year on and the project is making great progress. A special ‘thank you’ event was held at Feel Good Gardens in Edwinstowe and it was a small way for the District Council to not only celebrate the success of its first year but to say thank you to all those that have contributed to the scheme.

The scheme has grown from strength to strength throughout the year attracting not only numerous allotments holders locally but also various organisations willing to take donations of the produce to distribute to families. The scheme was initially promoted to parish and town council allotments holders but very quickly attracted large scale growers, community allotments and even the NTU Brackenhurst horticultural research team.

Councillor David Lloyd, Leader of Newark and Sherwood District Council said: “This is a great initiative and it’s been rewarding to see it flourish and grow in the past year. “Not only has it helped our keen allotment growers find willing outlets for their excess crop, it also provided families across the district with delicious ingredients while teaching our younger generations about how food is grown, harvested and enjoyed. “It’s pleasing to see allotment owners supporting our communities and this initiative really brought the community together.”

Miles Harriman who lives in Winthorpe in Newark is one of the growers who contributes to the project, he said: “I moved back to the town three years ago and when I heard about the scheme I was really excited to get involved. It’s been brilliant so far and it gives those people the opportunity to try vegetables they would never have thought about getting. “It’s really gratifying to introduce these new vegetables to people and knowing that the donated food goes to those that need it most is a rewarding feeling.

“We regularly donate to Bean Block café in Newark and some weeks we could be giving them 40 cucumbers a day! “The scheme is making a huge impact in the community and I want to start getting more people involved in the growing of vegetables and trying it out for themselves.”

The growers not only volunteered to grow and donate produce but supported with transporting the crop drop boxes weekly to food clubs, food bank, local schools, colleges, emergency food provision centres and Beaumond House Hospice Care. It’s estimated that volunteers took donations and distributed food to more than 200 families per week.
Throughout the scheme recipe cards were given to families to support them and showed different ways to use the produce creating tasty healthy meals.

The District Council is currently getting ready to roll out Crop Drop again next spring, creating a newsletter and mapping the wonderful array of growing opportunities that exist in Newark and Sherwood.