At the end of last month, OnTheWight featured a new Facebook Group called Green Island Veg Economy, or G.I.V.E for short.
The Group was set up by Isle of Wight Artist and Writer, Holly Maslen. She explains,
“The concept is very simple; If you have surplus fruit or veg, which you have grown yourself, then place it on a table outside your house on your driveway for others to take for free.”
Perfect timing
The timing for the Group was perfect, since the start of the Coronavirus crisis and difficulty shopping for food essentials many have turned to growing their own.
In just three weeks G.I.V.E already has over 2,000 members, and many people have put seeds and seedlings out for others to use.
Holly goes on to say,
“Being an island, the environment is self contained, and I would love for it to become largely self sufficient too. I have a dream of baskets and boxes of fresh produce on every street around the Island, so that food is available for everyone at no cost. So far, the response has been overwhelming and it has become more than an idea or a dream, it is becoming a reality.”
Holly says it wasn’t just the current pandemic situation which prompted this idea, it was something she’d thought of years ago, but it may not have taken off so well in more settled times.
Holly says,
“I am hoping that people will enjoy the concept of G.I.V.E so much that when we all return to work, and food is (possibly) more readily available, everyone will already have directly experienced the benefit of such a system and will work hard to maintain it.
“The Isle of Wight was awarded a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve status in 2019, and I can only see that this will add to the Island’s status as a special environment on the World map.”
Get involved
If you are on Facebook (chosen for its ease of accessibility) pop on to join the G.I.V.E. Group and see the benefits of growing your own.
