A pioneering Fruit & Veg on Prescription project in Tower Hamlets has delivered powerful results, improving physical health for 8 in 10 participants and cutting self-reported GP visits by 15%.
Now, Alexandra Rose Charity is encouraging local authorities and healthcare leaders to take note of the scheme’s success and consider adopting similar models to support healthier, more resilient communities.
Alexandra Rose Charity is working in partnership with Tower Hamlets Council and the Bromley By Bow Centre to provide families on low incomes with access to fresh fruit and vegetables. The charity has been supporting communities to eat better since its 2014 ‘Rose Vouchers for Fruit & Veg’ project and, more recently, its two ‘Fruit & Veg on Prescription’ projects.
Based in London, one project operates in Lambeth, to the South, and another operates in Tower Hamlets, in the East End. The Tower Hamlets project is now set to enter its third year of funding from Tower Hamlets Council.
Alexandra Rose Charity, in partnership with the Bromley by Bow Centre, delivers the Fruit & Veg on Prescription scheme in Tower Hamlets as part of a broader social prescribing service. Health professionals and Social Prescribing Link Workers issue weekly Rose Vouchers to people on low incomes with diet-related health conditions. These vouchers are collected from the Bromley by Bow Centre and used to purchase fresh, healthy food at local markets.
Between October 2022 and July 2024, 140 people have been prescribed Rose Vouchers. The results of recent data analysis shows that access to weekly fruit and vegetables has improved the physical health of 8 out of 10 of these participants.
In addition, 54% of participants experienced improved mental health, attributed to their need to worry less about money for food – and feel more supported in their community.
Aggie, a participant from Tower Hamlets, said:
“When I got the Rose Vouchers for fruit and veg, I thought, ‘Brilliant, I don’t have to worry about food – at least I can still eat’. It was lifesaving for me.
“The food choices I’m making now are forever. Before I started receiving Rose Vouchers, I was feeling awful – I’d found out I had Type 2 Diabetes and high cholesterol. It’s been a complete lifestyle change; I could never go back.”
Self-reported GP visits have reduced by 15%, with patients experiencing a better diet, thanks to greater access to fruit and vegetables. 78% of participants met their ‘5 a day’ target after nine months of ‘Fruit & Veg on Prescription’, compared to 32% at the start of the project.
Dr Jennifer Walmsley, practising GP at Kingthorne Group Practice said:
“I’m a huge advocate for the work that Alexandra Rose Charity is doing. Diet is key and Rose Vouchers make eating healthier food much more accessible.
“As GPs, we spend a significant amount of time dealing with the effects of poor diet and nutrition – I’d say more than anything else, in fact – because the majority of chronic diseases stem from those issues.
“Any steps we can take to improve diets and reverse those consequences are hugely beneficial. Not only does it enhance individual health and wellbeing, but it also helps ease pressure on the NHS, allowing GPs to focus on areas of care that aren’t preventable.”
The ongoing project, delivered by Alexandra Rose Charity, in partnership with Bromley by Bow Centre and funded by Tower Hamlets Council, is part of a social prescribing service that provides bespoke support to people with health and wellbeing challenges by connecting them with a Social Prescribing Link Worker.
The National Academy for Social Prescribing defines social prescribing as ‘connecting people to activities, groups and support that improve health and wellbeing’.
Eleanor Curry, a Social Prescribing Link Worker at Bromley by Bow Centre, said:
“Social prescribing can help in many ways – I find the work we do with Alexandra Rose Charity, who provide us with Rose Vouchers, deeply impactful. The difference we have seen with clients who have used these vouchers is quite special really. As well as their diet improving, their health is better, their mood is lifted and they’re connecting to people at the centre.”
Voucher scheme participant Aggie added:
“A lot of the positive changes that have happened have come off the back of me having access to fruit and veg and the support I received from the centre.”
“Before I had the support of my Social Prescribing Link Worker, I was struggling to leave the house. But now, I’m part of a business enterprise group and I’ve set up a business selling banana bread in the community.”
In Tower Hamlets, only 27% of adults eat the government-recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
Alexandra Rose Charity also found that 80% of participants said they were skipping meals to make food last longer at the start of the project. Nine months on, this number has reduced to 30% and has had a big impact on physical health too.
Access to a healthy diet is a key determinant of health. Before joining the project, 80% of participants were suffering from at least four symptoms of poor nutrition, such as fatigue, trouble focusing on tasks, sleep issues, fainting spells, and gut and digestion problems.
Social Prescribing Link Worker Eleanor adds:
“When someone’s struggling with low mood, one of the first things I like to address is their lifestyle and diet,”
“I’ll ask how they eat every day, what they have for breakfast, lunch and dinner and identify some of their unhealthy habits. I encourage a lot of my patients to have more fruit and veg because nutrition plays a huge role in mood and mental health.”
87% of participants now report a range of health improvements. 60% of participants also reported an improvement in their energy levels, whilst 59% reported better digestion.
More than 3,500 Social Prescribing Link Workers have been employed within primary care teams and GP practices across England, processing over 2.7 million referrals to date. The personalised approach taken by Link Workers ensures that each person’s unique needs are met, enhancing the role of community resources in supporting patient health.
Cllr Sabina Akhtar, Lead Member for Health, Adults and Social care at Tower Hamlets Council, said:
“It’s been truly heartening to hear local people share how much this programme has made a real difference to their everyday lives. By partnering with Alexandra Rose Charity and the Bromley by Bow Centre, we’ve been able to keep building on a project that’s shaped by the community itself—tackling food and nutrition challenges whilst also giving local shops and businesses a well-deserved boost.”
Alexandra Rose Charity CEO Jonathan added: “
Aggie’s story is one of many that shows how a small change, such as access to fruit and veg, can transform lives – improving health, reducing isolation, and building community.
Alexandra Rose Charity hopes to raise awareness of the scheme’s impact and is calling on other local authorities and healthcare partners to adopt similar approaches to improve health and reduce pressure on services.