Robert Brown backs Halfway Healthy Eating Project

12.00.00am GMT Thu 22nd Mar 2007

Glasgow Liberal Democrat MSP Robert Brown this week visited the Halfway Fruit Barra, which provides local people with cheap fruit and vegetables encouraging a healthier diet and lifestyle.

Robert also toured the premises of the Cambuslang and Rutherglen Community Health Initiative in Whitlawburn. Meeting staff there, he learned about health challenges in the area.

The Fruit Barra has been running in Cambuslang for over 10 years, using the Miners' Welfare in Halfway, and the Bonus Ball in Whitlawburn. It started with a budget of just £200, and grew into the Cambuslang Health and Food Project. It is now part of the Cambuslang and Rutherglen Community Health Initiative.

Community management is still at the heart of the Fruit Barra, with a management committee responsible for decisions, and local volunteers running the project.

These days the Fruit Barra supplies fruit and vegetables to local schools, as well as to local residents in the Halfway and Whitlawburn areas.

Robert Brown said:

"The commitment of the volunteers to the Fruit Barra is impressive. Many of them have been supporting the project for years. The idea of providing fresh, healthy fruit and vegetables, and linking this to understanding good diet and healthy living, and running it as a community group run by local people, is a powerful and successful one. I was also very interested to be updated on the changing challenges for the project and on the broad work done by CHI"

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