Alexandra Rose Charity reveals impressive results of ongoing project to give East London families on low incomes access to free fruit and veg
A pioneering fruit and veg prescription project in the London borough of Tower Hamlets claims to have improved the physical health of eight in 10 participants, cutting GP visits by 15 per cent.
Some 78 per cent of participants met their ‘5 a day’ target after nine months of the scheme, compared to 32 per cent at the start of the project.
In addition, 54 per cent said they experienced improved mental health, citing less need to worry about money for food and feeling more supported in their community.
Following the release of the NHS 10-Year Health Plan, Alexandra Rose Charity is urging the government to roll out ‘Fruit and Veg on Prescription’ schemes nationwide to tackle health inequalities and deliver preventative, person-centred care.
Alexandra Rose Charity works 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.
One of these prescription projects operates in the South London borough of Lambeth, while the other is based in Tower Hamlets, East London.
The Tower Hamlets project is now set to enter its third year of funding from Tower Hamlets Council and is delivered by Alexandra Rose Charity, in partnership with the Bromley by Bow Centre. The Fruit & Veg on Prescription scheme is 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.
Since 2022, 140 people have been prescribed Rose Vouchers. Aggie, a participant from Tower Hamlets, said: “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.”
Dr Jennifer Walmsley, practising GP at Kingthorne Group Practice, added: “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 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’.
In Tower Hamlets, only 27 per cent of adults eat the government-recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
Alexandra Rose Charity also found that 80 per cent 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 per cent 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 per cent 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.
Some 87 per cent of participants now report a range of health improvements, including less sickness and stronger immune systems, higher energy levels, and healthy weight loss. Forty-three per cent of participants also reported an improvement in their blood sugar levels, while 59 per cent reported better digestion.
Following the release of the Government’s 10-Year Health Plan – which has a clear emphasis on prevention, neighbourhood-based care, and reducing pressure on the NHS – Alexandra Rose Charity says it hopes its Tower Hamlets model can serve as a blueprint for future rollouts of fruit and vegetable prescription schemes across the country.
