Plums and summer fruit wanted for charity

It’s plum season and Community Fruit Harvesting is asking Aucklanders with too much fruit on their trees to offer it for picking. The charity gathers unwanted fruit and provides much-needed food to hungry families.

The group donates the fruit directly to food banks and also makes a number of different preserves to ensure that nothing goes to waste.

“Last year we made more than 800 jars of plum jam from just one orchard,” says Di Celliers, founder of Community Fruit Harvesting. “The orchard owners, both in their 80s, were delighted to see how many people benefitted from the fruit that they could not use.

“The Christmas period puts a financial strain on many families, and helping to provide fresh fruit for a lunch box or jam for toast or sandwiches is just one way that we can make a difference.”

Community Fruit Harvesting can make use of any fruit and vegetables that people are able to offer from their garden or orchard. Peaches and berries are also ripening now and many families have a glut of courgettes and tomatoes. In the next few months, feijoas, apples and pears will be ready for picking.

To offer fruit for picking, people can email Di Celliers at pickfruit@xtra.co.nz or visit www.pickfruit.co.nz to register their interest.

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