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An award-winning community enterprise that brings fresh produce to the inner-city Leeds suburb of Holbeck has established a permanent base.

Holbeck Foods, which receives support from a number of organisations including NHS Leeds and Leeds City Council, has moved from its previous base within a local community centre. It now offers the local community an opportunity to access fresh food, including fruit and vegetables, right on their doorstep.

Holbeck Community Market was officially launched last January as a weekly service running from St Matthew’s Community Centre. It was set up to address concerns that many residents in Holbeck were struggling to access fresh produce.

Since then, local volunteers who make up Holbeck Foods’ Board of Directors have transformed it into a sustainable community resource run entirely by volunteers. Holbeck Foods is now open five days a week including Saturdays. As a result of its success Holbeck Foods is on the look out for additional volunteers.

Sarah Gammage, who manages Holbeck Foods on a full-time basis, is pleased with its success: “It is proving to be a popular choice for local people to buy fresh produce and also catch up with the latest local news. We also feel that by offering people a chance to volunteer in the shop we can give local people an opportunity to develop some really useful skills including customer service, merchandising and stock management.”

Emma Strachan, Health Improvement Specialist (Food) for NHS Leeds, says, “We are absolutely delighted that Holbeck Foods has become such a valuable community resource. We originally set up Holbeck Market when it became apparent that many residents were struggling to access fresh produce and, in the long-term, this could have resulted in unhealthy eating habits. By working closely with the local community we have established a service that truly meets their needs. We knew we had developed something special and it was fantastic to receive recognition for this at the Leeds Health Stars Awards.”

Last year the project received an additional boost when it won a Leeds Health Stars Awards - triumphing in the Improving Health and Reducing Inequalities category. This was in recognition of its work to deliver a local service run by local people which delivers a range of foods which make up a healthy, balanced diet.

Holbeck Foods is supported by four volunteers and it is now looking for more people to help support its work. Volunteers can choose working patterns to suit their needs and will have the chance to gain valuable work experience within a retail environment.

One local volunteer is music technology graduate Kamal who has recently moved to Holbeck. He says: “I moved into the area last October as the church I attend had relocated. I was looking for the chance to contribute to the local community and Holbeck Foods provided to be an ideal opportunity. By volunteering here I have been able to meet and get to know people from the local community. It has been a great experience and has given me a real sense of pride as I know this is a service that Holbeck needs.”

If anyone would like to volunteer all they need to do is email: volunteers@holbeckfoods.org.uk or visit the shop. Holbeck Foods is based at 20 Recreation Street, Holbeck, Leeds 11.

Notes

Holbeck Foods opening times
Monday 9am-4.30pm
Tuesday 9am-4.30pm
Wednesday closed
Thursday 9am-4.30pm
Friday 9am-4.30pm
Saturday 9am-12.30pm
Sunday closed