Growers urged to stop the rot

Orchard owners and allotment holders are being invited to take part in a scheme to help stop the waste of unwanted fruit and vegetables.

Mrs Janet Smith, of Kirklington Road, Southwell, hopes to organise a walk in the town in the autumn so people can harvest fresh produce that would otherwise be left on trees and plants.

She said: “The idea is about addressing waste because there is the most fantastic amount of waste in the autumn.

“I know that a lot of allotment holders who, if they get an excess of say marrows, throw them on the compost heap and it seems a pity wasting all this food.

“We have lot of apple trees in the town and in the autumn you often see apples bouncing on the floor and rolling in gutters and it seems rather a shame.”

Mrs Smith hoped people would support the idea and allow people into their orchards, allotments and gardens to pick unwanted fruit.

She said: “I am sure there are elderly people who struggle to pick the fruit from the trees in their gardens and so it just falls to the floor so this might be helpful for them or people who just have too much to use themselves.

“It will be good for children too to actually pick things and harvest things.

“The walks would be escorted so people wouldn’t be wandering round throughout the day trampling on things, and hopefully we will stop somewhere and have a picnic.

Mrs Smith said there had been campaigns nationally to highlight the problem of food waste.

She said: “There has been a growing awareness recently about the issue of food waste.

Mrs Smith hoped if the idea was successful other villages might take up the idea.

She said: “It will just be a nice thing to share with everybody.”

A public meeting will be held at the Old Court House, Burgage, on Tuesday, March 29, at 7.30pm.

Anyone interested in taking part in the scheme can also contact Mrs Smith on 01636 812727.