Good food this Christmas brought to you by Incredible Edible Lambeth

Fruit and veg stall in the marketHow can we all source good nutritious food this Christmas to feed our families?

Finding fresh fruit and veg at affordable prices that has not flown half way across the world, can be a challenge, but Incredible Edible Lambeth makes some suggestions as to where you might go:

Try the farmers’ markets like Brixton’s (see above) – they source locally and seasonally. If you get there towards the end of the day, there are always bargains to be found. Here’s a list:

Balham Farmers Market, Henry Cavendish Primary school) – every Saturday, 9.30-1pm

Brixton Station Road – every Sunday, 9.30-2pm

Lower Marsh Market – every day 10-5pm except Sunday

Myatt’s Field Park – every Sunday, 10-3pm

Oval Market, St Mark’s Kennington – every Saturday, 10-3pm

Rookery Farmers Market – Rookery Gardens, 3rd Saturday of the month, 9.30-2.30pm

Venn Street, Clapham – Saturday 10-4pm

Westminster Bridge Market – St Thomas’ Hospital – Thursday 10-3pm

Volunteers packing food items at storage depot
Volunteers packing food items at food bank storage depot

If you’re looking for healthy hot meals, discounted fresh food or emergency food, try one of these places:

Ace of Clubs – St Alphonsus Road, Clapham, open to people sleeping rough, open 12-3pm weekdays

Brixton Seventh Day Adventist Church – Santley St, Thurs 6-8pm

Brixton Food Bank – St Paul’s Church, Ferndale Rd, Tues and Sat 10-1pm

Brixton Soup Kitchen – 297 Coldharbour Lane, open 10-3pm weekdays

Clapham Park Food Bank – Bonneville Centre, Poynders Rd, Tues and Fri 11-2pm

Compliments of the House – Brixton Market Row, open 7-9pm weekdays

The People’s Fridge – in Pop Brixton – food donated to fridge, anyone welcome to take what they need

The Platform (aka Loughborough Farm Community Cafe) – Loughborough Junction, Wed-Fri 12.30-3.30pm

Refugee Community Kitchen, SW2 1JG, –free food for anyone in need Sundays 6.30-8.30pm

Ruach City Church – Vida Walsh Centre, Saltoun Rd, Tues 7-8pm

Stockwell Park Community Centre – Aytoun Place, free community meal, Friday 7-8pm

Norwood Food Bank – Barcombe Ave, Wed 7-8.30pm

Teen Challenge – near Black Cultural Archive, Brixton Wed 9-11pm

Vauxhall Food Bank –Tyers St, Wed and Sat 11.30-1.30pm

Waterloo Food Bank – Oasis Centre, Kennington Rd, Tues 1-2.30pm, Fri, Sat 10-12pm

Waterloo Food Bank – St John’s Waterloo, Wed 3-5pm

Webber Street Day Centre – Webber St, Waterloo, every day except Fri and Sun 9-12pm

West Norwood Community Shop – Vale St, Mon-Fri 10-5pm. Become a member and access low cost, high quality surplus food

For more information on sourcing emergency food, Lambeth Larder Community Food Resource www.lambethlarder.org

And, finally, why not make 2020 your Growing Year? Find a community garden near you by visiting the Incredible Edible Lambeth map and get stuck in! There are so many benefits to growing your own food – from higher nutrition, to lower food miles (reduce your carbon) to better physical and mental health – it’s a win win for all of us.

Have you thought about joining Incredible Edible Lambeth? It’s easy and it’s free – tap in to the many opportunities and events it organises. Go to www.incredibleediblelambeth.org to find out more.

Happy New (Growing) Year!