Working in partnership with The Beacon Project, a community health organisation, and with funding from the London Borough of Lambeth Public Health team and Impact on Urban Health, we have launched a 12-month fruit and veg on prescription pilot in Lambeth.
Eligible residents come from low-income households and either have high blood pressure or are at risk of developing it.
Each person prescribed Rose Vouchers receives £8 per week, plus an additional £2 per week for each household member. Participants can spend their vouchers on their choice of high-quality fruit and vegetables. The Lambeth Public Health team wants to test whether this approach can offer a long-term solution to diet-related ill health and food insecurity in some of Lambeth’s most vulnerable communities.
This project adopts a Community Health approach by delivering support where people already are, instead of expecting them to visit traditional health clinics.
The Beacon Project primarily serves Black African and Caribbean communities in Lambeth. This Black-led organisation was established to tackle health inequalities worsened by the pandemic. Its ethos focuses on building trust with the community, which often faces barriers accessing health services due to a lack of trust. By partnering with The Beacon Project, we aim to evaluate the effectiveness of Fruit & Veg on Prescription in a community facing high levels of health inequality.
The pilot initially operates in West Norwood, where The Beacon Project holds outreach sessions. Participants can spend their Rose Vouchers at local retailers in West Norwood, Streatham and Brixton Market.