FRESH fruit and vegetables are closer to home than you might think as volunteers at the Bradford on Avon Community Agriculture group get set for a busy summer of growing, picking and delivering a whole host of in-season local produce.

The Community Agriculture group was set up in the town to offer a solution to people who wanted locally sourced fruit and vegetables.

Seven years later and they have now successfully set up their annual vegetable box scheme, offering offer weekly boxes of seasonal fruit, vegetables and herbs to local residents, encouraging them to eat naturally grown seasonal crops with minimum food miles before they reach the table.

Gill Breeze, one of the volunteers, said: “Our veg box scheme has been running for five years and has gone from strength to strength. But this year, we have a lot more to offer, with two poly tunnels bursting with salad vegetables and more cultivated growing areas than ever, thanks to our Tamworth pigs who have worked all year to clear the ground.”

Based on land just off Bath Road, the group also aims to involve the local community in their work by encouraging people to come and pick their own produce.

“So far this year we've arranged a day to build a bee hotel and run day courses in willow weaving and herbal medicine. But we've also introduced some growing plots, giving local residents the chance to start their own organic vegetable gardens with help and expertise from our growers,” Mrs Breeze added.

“We do offer people the chance to pick their own which is brilliant because people pick what they want themselves and they can see how fresh it is.

“It is a lovely place to bring children and we encourage families to come along and pick their vegetables. We are even dog friendly and we often put on little fun days for residents to come to.”

The group produce a whole host of fruit and vegetables including tomatoes, various salad leaves, strawberries, broad beans, chard and spinach.

Their vegetable boxes are available in three sizes to provide enough fruit and vegetables for a week from one person to a family of four.

They hope that others get involved in their work which they believe has grown into a community allotment.

For more information, visit www.boaca.co.uk.