ALDI ROSS-ON-WYE

Ross Community Garden is a vibrant, social and therapeutic space set in a 3-acre site in the heart of Ross. We offer a supportive environment with a special focus on individuals facing mental health challenges, learning disabilities or long-term unemployment. As well as indoor and outdoor growing areas, the Garden has several features designed to support biodiversity, including a pond, insect houses, bee hives, wood piles and two dry hedges. Zero Waste is one of the projects within the Community Garden in Ross-on-Wye. We started in November 2020 and have been open on Mondays - Saturdays every since. We collect waste from the supermarkets in the town (Aldi, Sainsbury's and Co-op) and give the food out to our service users. The food is given out free of charge as we aim to provide fresh food that improves diet and also help household budgets stretch further allowing users to access help without stigma. We also work in partnership with Fareshare. The Zero Waste is known and respected in the community. Our work has been recognised with a community partner award by Morrisons, has been featured in the county's newspaper as an leading example of efforts to reduce food waste, has received grants and supports from several local businesses and Ross Lions and has even been featured on an episode of 'Escape to the Country'. The Community Gardens also run other services such as a school uniform bank, a primary school's programme to educate about growing food, family support and gardening and mentoring services. We run occasional cookery clubs.

As part of our support for the community we serve we collect and share food with our community and provide a weekly hot meal

Herefordshire helpers support their local community by offering free food boxes with the hope of extending to other essentials in the future. We collect food from supermarkets and share the collections we receive with those who need it, such as providing food boxes with delivery to the elderly and those who aren’t able to independently shop as well as other community members and families who struggle with the rising costs of living which also prevents landfill to help protect our environment. Any food we can’t donate, we compost and recycle containers. We do not accept any money for the food we donate. If we are offered a donation, we decline and suggest that these individuals and families donate to a charity of their choosing themselves.