Rosie Niven

Last week saw the launch of a £100m initiative, backed by Groundwork and the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts, which would enable communities to grow food and to regenerate local parks and open spaces. It is hoped that the six year long Local Food programme, could cultivate trees and plants that feed people for generations.

You only have to look at the raspberry bush in my parent’s garden to see an example of a crop that produces fruit for decades. Originally my Grandad’s, the bush was replanted, and keeps my parents in raspberry jam and summer fruit pudding year after year.

The other day, I passed a plum tree in the garden of a council block near my flat in London. A large crop of juicy looking plums had landed on the lawn, but lay untouched by residents or passers by. I was sorely tempted to claim some for my fruit bowl but got a bit put off by the CCTV cameras.

Planting fruit trees on local authority land is a great idea in theory. But if residents don’t feel they can take it, or they don’t know what to do with it, all you get is a load of rotting fruit.

It’s a bit disheartening when you see perfectly good windfall fruit going to waste. Especially now that the government has stepped up the drive to tackle health inequalities through encouraging people to eat more fruit and veg.