The Veg Van helps commuters get their ‘five a day’ 
Commuters can buy locally grown fresh fruit and vegetables outside Hackbridge train station on the way home from work in a new scheme from local environmental charity, BioRegional and Southern Railway’s station partnership scheme.
The Veg Van a not-for-profit renovated milk float, is bringing seasonal, locally grown fruit and vegetables to this area of the London Borough of Sutton where fresh produce is hard to come by.
The veg-mobile is aiming to cater for thousands of people in Hackbridge, making it convenient and affordable for them to eat healthily while cutting their need to drive to shops and boosting sustainable business in the local area.
Southern station manager Paul Wyborn said: “We are very pleased to be supporting The Veg Van in Hackbridge. We have done this through our new station partnership scheme which invites community groups or businesses to become involved at their station for the mutual benefit of the local neighbourhood and the station.”
Anna Francis, One Planet Food Manger at BioRegional said: “We’re really excited to offer this essential service in Hackbridge; a recent survey showed that 94 per cent of local residents said they were concerned about eating healthily but most have to drive to get to fruit and veg and only 40 per cent of local adults say they are getting their ‘five a day’.”
The Veg Van is open every Wednesday from 4.30pm – 8pm and is conveniently placed at Hackbridge rail station for residents to pop by straight after work or school. It also travels to other local sites, such as schools, and the local hospital to sell its wares.
The Veg Van is part of a three year borough-wide One Planet Food project being delivered by local environment charities BioRegional. Its aim is to improve access to fresh local food for residents, support local food producers and reduce the pollution from food miles. It is being funded by the
Big Lottery Fund’s Local Food Programme, NHS Sutton and Merton, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and through in-kind support from Southern Railway.
