What is TopFruit?

Making use of an abandoned allotment to give away fresh fruit.

In August 2023 I discovered that a couple of adjacent plots on our local allotments had recently been given up by their previous tenant. These then rather untidy plots were already planted with number of mature fruit trees – apples, pears, plums, greengages and cherries – together with a number of soft fruit bushes – blackberries, blackcurrants, raspberries and gooseberries. Much of the top fruit was just ripening and ready to pick over the following weeks.

Secondly, our local allotments is a weekly collecting point for the “Grow to Give” organisation – a community food initiative providing fresh, locally grown food to food banks and community fridges across Buckinghamshire. Food charities have faced a significant increase in demand for food since the COVID-19 pandemic started, and this has continued with the cost of living crisis. Local allotment and home growers sometimes end up with too much of a particular fruit or vegetable. By donating their surplus to the Grow to Give project they can support local people at a very difficult time, reducing food waste and volunteering in a healthy way to have a meaningful impact to their community.

The TopFruit project is taking on and managing these two allotments primarily as a source of fruit for the Grow to Give initiative to distribute to local food charities.

Want to get involved?

We would love to hear from you if you would like to become an active volunteer helper or support us financially