‘Veg on wheels’ scheme launched, Teesdale Mercury

VILLAGERS throughout the dale will be able to get their five-a-day delivered to their doors as a scheme to produce and sell locally-grown fruit and veg begins. 

Teesdale Conservation Volunteers (TCV) began its From Plot to Pot project over a year ago. 

The group’s aim was to grow as much local produce as possible at its eco HQ in Startforth and distribute it amongst the rest of the dale in a bid to cut down on imported food and ignite an interest in others to grow their own. 

With the first crop of produce ready to go, the team invested in veg van – a mobile shop that is making weekly rounds across the dale. 

On the van customers can find a myriad of fresh goods including lettuce, turnips, fennel, cabbage and potatoes, alongside free range eggs and honey – both sourced from TCV’s Cotherstone base. There is also organic milk and butter, Suma wholefoods, Traidcraft lines and your weekly Teesdale Mercury. 

The fruit and veg on the van is picked daily and Katrina Appleyard, from TCV, said: “It’s going really well, we’ve actually been selling out, which is both a pleasure and a bit of a problem.

“We launched last week and Martin (Bacon, who set up TCV with his wife Jill) cam out on the rounds. 

“One lady summed it up when she said ‘he’s just fabulous, he just makes you want to get involved in community projects’ and she’s right, he does.”

Terri Irvin, who popped along to buy some produce at Whorlton, said: “I grow myself but some of the things aren’t ready in my garden so I can come and get them here. 

“It’s very handy to have something like this – we’re about four-and-a-half miles out of Barnard Castle without a shop so it’s very good, very useful.”

Another customer, Regina Rutland, said: “There used to be a van that came here and sold similar things which was really popular but it just stopped. 

“Now I know that it is here the same time every week I will definitely come again, I think it’s a wonderful idea.”

The van, driven by new TCV team member Pat Wilkinson, will deliver to eight villages and if it is successful, and there is enough produce to go round, more could be added. 

On the first week of the rounds the team sold out of garlic and honey on the comb, and to back up its own produce, TCV is looking for other local producers to sell their locally grown good on board the veg van. 

The team is also looking for suggestions of possible music they could used on board to alert customers that they are in the village. 

Anyone interested in getting their goods on board the bus, or who has a idea for a jingle that can be played, should contact Katrina at TCV on 01833 90022. 

The veg van will be delivering in Lartington, Romaldkirk and Eggleston on Mondays, in the Woodside, Montalbo and Darlington Road areas of Barnard Castle on Tuesdays and in Westwick, Whorlton, Newsham and Barningham on Wednesdays. 

All rounds will start at about 4.30 and the van will remain in the villages for about half an hour.