A TEAM of campaigners and volunteers will, this weekend, pick over a tonne of cabbages that would otherwise go to waste because they fail to meet the strict cosmetic standards laid down by supermarkets and would ordinarily be wasted.
The gleaning event, organised by Tristram Stuart and the Feeding the 5000 campaign in partnership with food redistribution charity FareShare, will rescue the vegetables and ensure they distributed to a range of charities.
Gleaning is a traditional practice dating back to medieval times, which consists of gathering crops that would otherwise be left in the fields to rot. And Saturdays event (3rd March) is one of a series of pilot gleaning events organised by the Feeding the 5000 campaign with a view to establishing a Gleaning Network to coordinate volunteers, growers, and distribution charities to salvage unwanted produce.
MP for South Thanet, Laura Sandys , will attend the event, which will be held from 10.30 am to 2.30pm at Geoff Philpotts farm in Broadstairs, Kent.
Last month, Sandys unveiled her Ugly food Company idea to great acclaim from The Daily Telegraph.
There are already a number of routes for imperfect veg beyond the supermarkets, including the foodservice industry and food processors. However, Sandys ambition to create an Ugly brand to educate consumers is what some have said sets it apart.
