Buywell

Buywell works to improve access to healthy, affordable, sustainable food and increasing healthy choices in food outlets.

Buywell aims to help Londoners living in Well London target areas to eat more of a wider range of healthier foods by supporting local groups to plan, develop and run food access projects.

What is it for?

Responding to local needs identified in ongoing assessments, Buywell projects supports organisations and individuals to:

• Set up and maintain community-led “food co-ops”, box schemes and mobile food stores, linked to local producers/markets.
• Increase provision and improve displays of fruit and veg for convenience stores.
• Expand the role of existing “food co-ops” so that they help people to access other food, mental health and physical activity-related services, and assist them to become more financially independent.
• Offer healthier choices on the menus and ranges of local food restaurants and/or shops.

Results so far?

• Buywell food co-ops and community cafés have benefited over 3200 people.
• Sales of fruit and vegetables in local shops have increased. One store owner in Tower Hamlets said “Since making changes, I’ve sold more fruit and vegetables in one day than I usually do in a whole week”.
• Café Relax in Tower Hamlets has given local women the opportunity to train in catering, while 77% of café customers agreed it had helped them to make healthier eating choices.

Current projects:

Current Buywell projects in the Well London areas and contact details for these are listed below by borough:

Barking and Dagenham – Becontree Heath

Mobile Food Store - A van selling fresh fruit and vegetables every Tuesday at Gosfield Road from 10:00 - 11:00am and Stour Rd from 11:00am - 12:00pm.

Contact Eric Samuel, Community Food Enterprise on 020 7511 9014 or eric@community-food-enterprise.org.uk

Ealing

South Acton Food Co-op - open outside Oaktree Community Centre every Tuesday from 1.00 -4.00pm. Contact Vanessa Tobiasinsky, Action Acton on 020 8993 9605 or vanessa.tobiasinsky@actionacton.com

Hackney

Woodberry Down Food Co-op - open selling fresh produce at Woodberry Down Community School every Wednesday from 3.00 - 4.00pm. Contact Les Moore, East London Food Access on 020 7254 4593 or les.moore@commonresource.net

Hammersmith and Fulham

White City Food Co-op – selling fresh produce at Phoenix High School’s Farm and Learning Zone every Friday from 10.00am-12.00pm.

Contact Marcia Clack on 07979906530 or marcia_clack@phoenix.lbhf.sch.uk

White City Food Co-op

Buywell Retail Project

Residents can now find a better range of fresh fruit and vegetables promoted in their local convenience store:

• CSM food & Wine, 61-63 South Africa Road

Hounslow

SureStart Hounslow launched a fruit & veg box scheme in May 2010. To sign up or find out more contact Tasmine Magloire on 07859 379227 or tasmine.magloire@surestarthounslow.org.uk

Lambeth

Larkhall Food Co-op – selling fresh fruit and veg every Friday 11am – 1pm at 110 Union Road. Contact Natasha Harris, Aardvark Recycling on 0845 337 2939 or info@aardvarkrecycling.org.ukLarkhall Food Co-op

Buywell Retail Project Residents can now find a better range of fresh fruit and vegetables promoted in their local convenience store:

• A&T Superstore (Premier) 91-93 Jeffrey's Rd

Lewisham

Bellingham Food Co-op – open selling fresh fruit & veg outside St Augustine’s Primary School every Thursday from 3.00- 4.00pm Contact Beverley Thompson, Sage Educational Trust on 020 8461 4852 or bthompson.sage@elfrida.lewisham.sch.uk

Buywell Retail Project Residents can now find a better range of fresh fruit and vegetables promoted in their local convenience store:

• Varsani Food and Wine Ltd (Londis) ,19-21 Dunfield Road

Elfrida School Council at the launch of the Buywell Retail project at Londis, Dunfield Road

Newham

Star School Food Co-op - Selling fresh fruit & veg outside Star School every Friday from 3.00 – 4.00pm

Contact Eric Samuel, Community Food Enterprise on 020 7511 9014 or eric@community-food-enterprise.org.uk

Mobile Food Store – look out for the van selling fresh fruit and vegetables every TUESDAY on Star Lane (outside the hub) from 8.45am -10am

Community Food Enterprise’s Mobile Food Store

Healthier Options Award

The following cafés in Canning Town North area have been assessed by a nutritionist and received the Healthier Options Award:

• Café Rial @ The Hub
• George’s Café @ Rathbone Market
• Divotes Café @ The Place
• Anchor House Hostel, Barking Road

To achieve this award each of the businesses was assessed on their cooking techniques and menus. They were observed by a nutritionist and given feedback on how they could make cost-neutral changes to improve the healthiness of what they serve.

Cafés clearly mark which items are the healthier options on the menu and specials boards and there is also a window sticker that is placed in the front of the café to inform customers that the café has achieved healthier options status. Look out for the logo:

Tower Hamlets

Café Relax at Lansbury Lodge was launched in April 2009. It is open every weekday from 9.00am - 4:30pm for women to meet new friends and try delicious healthy food. Contact Yvette Elkana, City Gateway on 020 3056 4063 or yvette.elkana@citygateway.org.uk

Hind Grove Food Co-op – selling fresh produce at Hind Grove community hall, at the end of Saracen Street & off Upper North Street, every Tuesday from 10:30am - 12:30pm. Customers can also get fruit smoothes, tea and coffee, smoking cessation advice and their blood pressure checked at the same time.

Contact Victoria Coakley on 0207 536 2887 or Victoria.Coakley@poplarharca.co.uk

Buywell Retail Project Residents can now find a better range of fresh fruit and vegetables at their local convenience store:

• Costcutter, 156-160 Pigott Street

Pupils from Stebon Primary School at the launch of the Buywell retail project in Costcutter, Pigott Street

Westminster

Queens Park Food Co-op - selling affordable fresh fruit and vegetables at the Beethoven Centre every Monday from 1.00 - 4:00pm Contact Debs Bourner on 020 8964 9962 or debs.bourner@a2dominion.co.uk

Buywell Retail Project Residents can now find a better range of fresh fruit and vegetables at their local convenience store:

• Coronation Mini Mart, 19 Dart St