Cleeve Prior has a green-fingered resident in the person of Peter Byrne, who saw the lockdown as an opportunity rather than a challenge.
With a longstanding interest and background in the horticulture industry, he quickly realised that being confined to home would mean more people in the garden, with plenty of time, but without any way of shopping for plants. So, he took matters into his own hands and began to grow additional vegetables and plants from seeds he had in his shed, and then, once they had been tended to, he offered them for sale to his neighbours.
Peter advertised his fresh produce and plants on his village facebook page and in the local magazine, setting up a Justgiving page where people could make donations for what they ‘bought’ from him. Cleeve Prior residents benefitted from broccoli, sprouts, chillies, peppers and tomatoes amongst the array of colourful and healthy offerings from Peter. He said that, as nothing was priced and he just asked people to make a donation for their goods, which would go to the foodbank, people were very generous, and he has raised an astonishing £648.
Sales have slowed down now, understandably as lockdown has begun to ease, but Peter says he may grow some autumn vegetables. There is nothing like local, home grown produce, or some good news to share!
Huge thanks to Peter, not only for his fundraising for the foodbank, but also for making life a whole lot easier for his neighbours and friends during a very difficult time.
