Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland
Henry Duncan Awards Report
SEAL Community Health Project July 2011

This funding has been extremely beneficial to our community in south east Glasgow. By giving an award of f6,818 towards the cost of van rental, vehicle running costs and sessional driver’s wages it has allowed us to provide a valuable service which has made a positive impact on health in this area.

We have had another successful year with SEAL Fruit Barras making a contribution towards
improving lives and health, including through providing opportunities for volunteers to help tackle isolation and exclusion while gaining new skills and confidence. Your funding has enabled SEAL to continue to support people living in significantly deprived areas within the south east of Glasgow, where supermarkets are often difficult to travel to (for those without a car) and local stores are expensive and the fruit and vegetables are often of a poor quality and limited in variety. The van is able to deliver to 6 venues in this area helping local people to overcome major obstacles identified in our surveys and is addressing:

• Availability – increasing access to decent quality fresh fruit and vegetables in the heart of the community.
• Affordability – tackling the cost of shopping locally and the difficulty of travelling to distant supermarkets
• Skills – improving confidence in trying new fresh produce, in shopping economically and cooking new foods through trying recipes provided each week.
• Culture – overcoming ingrained habits i.e. poor diet, and improving knowledge of healthy food options.

The van and driver is a key part of our Fruit Barra service and day to day operation. Our volunteers on the Fruit Barras, invest time and energy in supporting their own community and this reduces isolation, strengthens community links and increase social capital. lt also builds their confidence, skills and experience, which can increase their chances of employment. Over 500 people a week purchase fresh produce and mainly are those living on limited income, young mothers, elderly and retired people, unemployed and those who are disabled. The benefits in relation to health are that access is increased to a healthier diet and knowledge of nutrition is improved for people with poor physical health and from disadvantaged background. The Director of Public Health for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde fears that the current economic climate could lead to more unhealthy diets due to cost issues, with healthy eating less of a priority and more people turning to convenience foods.

SEAL chair the Food Action South East Forum which brings together wider health improvement
activities and addresses health inequalities. The member of the forum allwork in partnership and
cover cooking skills, growing skills, community gardens, engaging with community to improve
nutrition etc. and the group share learning, practice, resources and skills.