2023 marked the third Christmas that Otley 2030 has delivered free fresh fruit and vegetable boxes to families and individuals across Otley.

The initiative started during the Covid pandemic when the government stopped issuing vouchers during the school holidays. Three years on and there are still many people struggling to put healthy food on the table. Otley 2030 now deliver to 154 Otley households, and the numbers keep rising.

Now that Otley 2030 has its own fantastic Community Larder, (where free fresh food is available twice a week) they will seek to reduce the number of deliveries made in the future, but the charity also says it realises that many of the people they deliver to are unlikely to be able to access the Larder and they will not leave them without their fruit and veg.

Otley 2030 is committed to working towards a carbon zero town, and up until now have been delivering three veg box rounds from a ‘festival’ trolley and two from an e-cargo bike borrowed from Climate Action Ilkley. Now, however, Otley has its own e-cargo bike. It belongs to Otley Town Council and is available for local businesses to use for deliveries - please contact the Core for details.

Councillor Mick Bradley, who delivered the most recent deliveries on the e-cargo bike said: “I was inspired by Tom at Courtyard Planters delivering Christmas trees to again take the town council e-cargo bike out for delivery of the Christmas veg box to families and older residents around Weston."

Otley 2030 says that the free fruit and veg box scheme can only run because of the endless generosity of many Otley people. The local charity would like to extend thanks to Simon and Becky, of S&Bs fruit and vegetables and delicatessen on Boroughgate and their members of staff (Matt in particular), without whom the scheme could not run.

Shannon Coles, who has organised deliveries from the start said: “For three years, Simon and Becky have sorted out our order with multiple suppliers - always getting us the best possible deal - supervised the deliveries, and saved, stored and delivered vegetable crates for us to use. And they donate all of our potatoes. They are incredible people and Otley is so lucky to have them.”

Thanks also go to Bridge Street Church, where the boxes are packed and delivered from, and whose staff and volunteers open and close up, provide tables and help to clean up afterwards.

Like Nana Did donate packets of soup mix for those people who don’t cook very much and receive ‘Easy Prep’ boxes. The soup always gets very positive feedback, with one elderly gentleman telling volunteers that it ‘warmed him up through and through’.

Otley 2030 say the scheme relies on more than 40 amazing volunteers who turn out in all weathers to pack and deliver, to problem solve, navigate, report back and keep an eye out for vulnerable veg box recipients. Otley Action for Older People, Otley Food Bank, Otley Lions and Otley Town Council all support when needed, too. For this festive delivery Waitrose kindly donated 100 boxes of mince pies. “Otley is a town that does all it can to look after people,” said Shannon.

A final thank you goes out to every person who has donated to the veg box scheme - some of whom don’t have much extra cash themselves but still give regularly and generously.

For more info about Otley Community Larder, go to facebook.com/otleylarder or go to www.otley2030.com