HOUSEHOLDS on two streets in Athersley North could be given vouchers for free fruit and veg under new proposals to get residents eating healthier.
The FRESH Street project has been drawn up by Sheffield University to look at how eating habits can be changed in areas of high deprivation.
The proposal would mean homeowners on two streets in Athersley North - to be picked at random - would benefit from free vouchers for six months, provided by the Alexandra Rose Charity, which has donated £5,000 in vouchers to the project.
It would mean everyone - adults and children aged two and above - normally resident in the selected ‘voucher streets’ will be eligible, regardless of their income, benefit or employment status.
To make it a success it needs the financial support of the North Area Council and members will be asked on Monday to contribute to the scheme.
The university said people living on low incomes are more likely to have a higher consumption of sugar and saturated fatty acids, and a lower intake of fruit and vegetables and dietary fibre than recommended. The thinking behind the voucher scheme is that residents’ consumption of fresh food will increase.
Some of the finer details are yet to be finalised but it is expected households will receive up to £3 per person, per week in vouchers.
Proposals show the main supplier of the fresh fruit and veg, where the vouchers can be exchanged, would be from the Five-A-Day fruit and veg shop close to the estate on Laithes Lane, owned by Shawn Kilgariss.
Similar schemes are already being run in Barnsley aimed purely at low-income families but the university says FRESH Street is different in that it targets a community of people living in a deprived area, regardless of income or employment status.
Detailed information on the health of people on the estate needs to be collected and this will be done by using the Yorkshire Health Study Health Questionnaire starting next month and continuing into February.
The university plans to ask everyone in Athersley North if they are willing to fill in the questionnaire, online or on paper, then two streets will be chosen at random and everyone living in these streets will be offered the vouchers for fresh fruit and veg.
After initially considering the Central Ward for this project the university was advised that Athersley North, which is in the St Helen’s ward, would be more appropriate as it is an area of high deprivation.
On Monday, the North Area council members said they would be prepared to match fund the £5,000 already secured from the Alexander Rose Charity.
The area council was told residents of the ‘voucher scheme streets’ will benefit from increased access to fresh fruit and vegetables and the improved health and well-being associated with a healthier diet.
A report seen by councillors states: “The project hopes to increase the participants’ consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables, leading to a change in behaviour and contributing to improve health and well-being of voucher recipients.
“Local suppliers of fruit and vegetables will benefit from increased customer demand - the use of vouchers that can only be redeemed through local suppliers will support local business and keep profits in the community.”
