Primary research question<\/h4>\n\n- What are the most effective ways to embed Fresh Street Community within local food systems in areas of high deprivation?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Secondary research questions<\/h4>\n\n- What are the most effective methods for households to receive and redeem vouchers for locally supplied fruit and vegetables?<\/li>\n
- What is the primary evidence of the impact of the Fresh Street Community on\n
\n- social connection<\/li>\n
- health inequality<\/li>\n
- self-reported dietary behaviours and wellbeing status<\/li>\n
- the availability \u00a0and affordability of fresh produce<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- What is the acceptability of Fresh Street Community by local households , fruit and vegetable vendors, councils and other stakeholders?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/p>\n
Fresh Street vouchers<\/h2>\n
FS-Health has funded the provision of Fresh Street vouchers to households in both communities.\u00a0 It has also supported the running of an online ordering and bespoke fruit and vegetable stall in Whitleigh, Plymouth and a similar stall in Whitley, Reading engaging with community hubs Four Greens Community Trust<\/a><\/span> and the Salvation Army in Plymouth and Whitley Community Development Association (WCDA<\/span>) in Reading to facilitate these activities.<\/p>\nAt both sites, householders have been able to use their vouchers to purchase fresh produce from local wholesalers TamarFresh<\/a> in Plymouth and C A Belcher & Son<\/a> in Reading at the community hubs.\u00a0 The ordering system and stalls have also been open for other local residents to use.\u00a0 \u00a0Each of the outlets has also accepted cash\/card payments.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”2260″ img_size=”medium” add_caption=”yes” onclick=”img_link_large”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”2259″ img_size=”medium” add_caption=”yes” onclick=”img_link_large”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n
Householder engagement<\/h2>\n
The research team have monitored the footfall and voucher redemption rates across both sites and engaged with householders taking part in the study to understand their fruit and veg consumption (number of portions consumed of each) before, during and after the intervention period.<\/p>\n
In addition, householders have undertaken Food and Wellbeing Chats (24 hour recall) and, if they’ve wished,\u00a0 provided hair and urine samples for biomarker assessment which detect the presence of salt, sugars, fruit\/veg, plant or meat based food within their diet.\u00a0 NHS run health checks have been available throughout the study conducted by the NHS MeetPeet team at the community centre in Reading.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/food-systems-equality\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/186\/2025\/03\/Intervention-map-300x158.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
The Fresh Street<\/a> place-based intervention known within this project as ‘Fresh Street Community’ (FSC) has also examined the benefits of social connectivity at the two community hubs through a number of activities including cookery demonstrations, learning about composting and sharing recipe ideas and cooking tips, all within a safe social space environment helping individuals build stronger connections with their neighbours and fellow residents from the local area.<\/p>\nThe intervention ran for nine months (Jan-Sept 2024) in Plymouth and twelve months (Nov23-Nov24) in Reading and is continuing in both locations in the short term with support from FoodSEqual and Reading Borough Council. \u00a0Data collection is completed at both locations and analysis is ongoing.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n
Find out more<\/h2>\n
Further information about the interventions can be found here for Plymouth<\/a> and Reading.<\/a><\/p>\nPublications<\/h3>\n
As the data analysis progresses, research findings are being shared on social media @foodsequal, at webinars, conferences, briefing notes and academic papers.\u00a0 \u00a0These will be added to this page as they are published in the public domain.\u00a0 If you would like further information about the research and outputs, please contact us via the Contacts page on this website.<\/p>\n
Our final FoodSEqual-Health Briefing Paper<\/a><\/span><\/strong> outlines preliminary results from interventions in Plymouth and Reading.<\/p>\nUnited Kingdom Food Security Report 2024<\/strong><\/a>,<\/span> DEFRA<\/strong>: Theme 4: Food Security at Household Level, Sub-theme 3 Diet Nutrition,\u00a0 Case Study 1;The lived experience of food insecurity and its impact on health (page 352)<\/p>\nExploring Enablers and Barriers to a Fruit and Vegetable Voucher Scheme in England: Insights from the Fresh Street Community Feasibility Study<\/span><\/strong><\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0Pan,J., Relton,C., Howard, L., Garg, P., Puranik, M., Thomas, M., Bradbeer,J., Sutton, R., Wagstaff, C., Pettinger, C. (2025)<\/p>\nModelling enablers and barriers to improve uptake of a fruit and vegetable voucher scheme (the Fresh Street Community) in England: a TISM-MICMAC approach<\/strong><\/a><\/span> Pan,J., Relton, C., Howard, L., Pan, AO., Hunt, L., Garg, L., Bradbeer, J., Puranik, R., Sutton, R., Wagstaff., Pettinger, C. (2026)<\/p>\nPresentations and posters<\/h3>\n
Fresh Street Community: Feasibility testing a community centre-based voucher scheme for fresh fruit and vegetables\u00a0<\/strong>Future Food Symposium\u00a0<\/a>University of Nottingham May 2024\u00a0 <\/span>Thomas, M. et al (2024)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nFresh Street:\u00a0a place-based voucher scheme for locally supplied fresh fruit and vegetables<\/strong>\u00a0 Future Food Symposium, University of Nottingham May 2024\u00a0<\/span>Relton, C. et al (2024)<\/p>\nFresh Street Community: Feasibility testing a community centre-based voucher scheme for fresh fruit and vegetables <\/strong>Menus of Change Insights Exchange<\/a>\u00a0 June 2024 Thomas, M. et al (2024)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nIncreasing choice of fruit and vegetables in diets of the UK disadvantaged communities through a co-created household voucher scheme<\/strong> Eurosense 2024<\/a>\u00a0Puranik, M. et al (2024)<\/p>\nFresh Street Community Scheme: Household vouchers for fresh fruit and vegetables<\/strong> ECR conference University of Reading<\/a> 2024 Puranik, M. et al (2024)<\/p>\nFreshStreet Community: Household voucher scheme for fresh fruit and vegetables<\/strong> WPHNA Congress<\/a> June 2024 Puranik, M. et al (2024)<\/p>\nFreshStreet Community Scheme: Household voucher scheme for fresh fruit and vegetables<\/strong> City Food Policy Conference<\/a>\u00a0 April 2024 Puranik, M. et al (2024)<\/p>\nFresh Street Community increases fruit and vegetable intake of citizens living in “most deprived area” of Reading: interim study results.<\/strong> Inequalities and Health Summit, Liverpool October 2024 Thomas, M. et al (2024)<\/p>\nFoodSEqual-Health: Tackling the dietary inquity that underpins health inequalities<\/strong> TUKFS ECR Sheffield Oct 2024 Puranik, M. et al (2024)<\/p>\nNeighbourhood based vouchers for local fruit and vegetables: what do we know about Fresh Street so far?<\/strong> Future Food Symposium<\/a> \u00a0University of Birmingham May 2025 Thomas, M. et al (2025)<\/p>\nFreshStreet voucher scheme to tackle food insecurity: Evaluating the impact of fruit and vegetable intake in two disadvantaged communities in England<\/strong>\u00a0Future Food Symposium<\/a>\u00a0 University of Birmingham May 2025 Puranik, M. et al (2025)<\/p>\nFood Systems Equality-Health & Fresh Street Community<\/strong>\u00a0 TUKFS Annual Meeting<\/span>\u00a0<\/a><\/span>\u00a0York January 2025 Wagstaff, C. et al. (2025)<\/p>\nFresh Street Community a multicomponent practical response to food and nutritional insecurity in deprived communities<\/strong>. RGS-IBG International Conference August 2025\u00a0 Thomas, M. et al (2025)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Webinar series<\/h3>\n
The project team have presented three webinars sharing the concept, progress and results of the project.<\/p>\n
Webinar #1 12 Sept 2023<\/a> – introduction to the project<\/p>\nWebinar #2 7 Mar 2024<\/a> – progress update and early results<\/p>\n
Secondary research questions<\/h4>\n\n- What are the most effective methods for households to receive and redeem vouchers for locally supplied fruit and vegetables?<\/li>\n
- What is the primary evidence of the impact of the Fresh Street Community on\n
\n- social connection<\/li>\n
- health inequality<\/li>\n
- self-reported dietary behaviours and wellbeing status<\/li>\n
- the availability \u00a0and affordability of fresh produce<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- What is the acceptability of Fresh Street Community by local households , fruit and vegetable vendors, councils and other stakeholders?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/p>\n
Fresh Street vouchers<\/h2>\n
FS-Health has funded the provision of Fresh Street vouchers to households in both communities.\u00a0 It has also supported the running of an online ordering and bespoke fruit and vegetable stall in Whitleigh, Plymouth and a similar stall in Whitley, Reading engaging with community hubs Four Greens Community Trust<\/a><\/span> and the Salvation Army in Plymouth and Whitley Community Development Association (WCDA<\/span>) in Reading to facilitate these activities.<\/p>\nAt both sites, householders have been able to use their vouchers to purchase fresh produce from local wholesalers TamarFresh<\/a> in Plymouth and C A Belcher & Son<\/a> in Reading at the community hubs.\u00a0 The ordering system and stalls have also been open for other local residents to use.\u00a0 \u00a0Each of the outlets has also accepted cash\/card payments.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”2260″ img_size=”medium” add_caption=”yes” onclick=”img_link_large”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”2259″ img_size=”medium” add_caption=”yes” onclick=”img_link_large”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n
Householder engagement<\/h2>\n
The research team have monitored the footfall and voucher redemption rates across both sites and engaged with householders taking part in the study to understand their fruit and veg consumption (number of portions consumed of each) before, during and after the intervention period.<\/p>\n
In addition, householders have undertaken Food and Wellbeing Chats (24 hour recall) and, if they’ve wished,\u00a0 provided hair and urine samples for biomarker assessment which detect the presence of salt, sugars, fruit\/veg, plant or meat based food within their diet.\u00a0 NHS run health checks have been available throughout the study conducted by the NHS MeetPeet team at the community centre in Reading.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The Fresh Street<\/a> place-based intervention known within this project as ‘Fresh Street Community’ (FSC) has also examined the benefits of social connectivity at the two community hubs through a number of activities including cookery demonstrations, learning about composting and sharing recipe ideas and cooking tips, all within a safe social space environment helping individuals build stronger connections with their neighbours and fellow residents from the local area.<\/p>\nThe intervention ran for nine months (Jan-Sept 2024) in Plymouth and twelve months (Nov23-Nov24) in Reading and is continuing in both locations in the short term with support from FoodSEqual and Reading Borough Council. \u00a0Data collection is completed at both locations and analysis is ongoing.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n
Find out more<\/h2>\n
Further information about the interventions can be found here for Plymouth<\/a> and Reading.<\/a><\/p>\nPublications<\/h3>\n
As the data analysis progresses, research findings are being shared on social media @foodsequal, at webinars, conferences, briefing notes and academic papers.\u00a0 \u00a0These will be added to this page as they are published in the public domain.\u00a0 If you would like further information about the research and outputs, please contact us via the Contacts page on this website.<\/p>\n
Our final FoodSEqual-Health Briefing Paper<\/a><\/span><\/strong> outlines preliminary results from interventions in Plymouth and Reading.<\/p>\nUnited Kingdom Food Security Report 2024<\/strong><\/a>,<\/span> DEFRA<\/strong>: Theme 4: Food Security at Household Level, Sub-theme 3 Diet Nutrition,\u00a0 Case Study 1;The lived experience of food insecurity and its impact on health (page 352)<\/p>\nExploring Enablers and Barriers to a Fruit and Vegetable Voucher Scheme in England: Insights from the Fresh Street Community Feasibility Study<\/span><\/strong><\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0Pan,J., Relton,C., Howard, L., Garg, P., Puranik, M., Thomas, M., Bradbeer,J., Sutton, R., Wagstaff, C., Pettinger, C. (2025)<\/p>\nModelling enablers and barriers to improve uptake of a fruit and vegetable voucher scheme (the Fresh Street Community) in England: a TISM-MICMAC approach<\/strong><\/a><\/span> Pan,J., Relton, C., Howard, L., Pan, AO., Hunt, L., Garg, L., Bradbeer, J., Puranik, R., Sutton, R., Wagstaff., Pettinger, C. (2026)<\/p>\nPresentations and posters<\/h3>\n
Fresh Street Community: Feasibility testing a community centre-based voucher scheme for fresh fruit and vegetables\u00a0<\/strong>Future Food Symposium\u00a0<\/a>University of Nottingham May 2024\u00a0 <\/span>Thomas, M. et al (2024)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nFresh Street:\u00a0a place-based voucher scheme for locally supplied fresh fruit and vegetables<\/strong>\u00a0 Future Food Symposium, University of Nottingham May 2024\u00a0<\/span>Relton, C. et al (2024)<\/p>\nFresh Street Community: Feasibility testing a community centre-based voucher scheme for fresh fruit and vegetables <\/strong>Menus of Change Insights Exchange<\/a>\u00a0 June 2024 Thomas, M. et al (2024)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nIncreasing choice of fruit and vegetables in diets of the UK disadvantaged communities through a co-created household voucher scheme<\/strong> Eurosense 2024<\/a>\u00a0Puranik, M. et al (2024)<\/p>\nFresh Street Community Scheme: Household vouchers for fresh fruit and vegetables<\/strong> ECR conference University of Reading<\/a> 2024 Puranik, M. et al (2024)<\/p>\nFreshStreet Community: Household voucher scheme for fresh fruit and vegetables<\/strong> WPHNA Congress<\/a> June 2024 Puranik, M. et al (2024)<\/p>\nFreshStreet Community Scheme: Household voucher scheme for fresh fruit and vegetables<\/strong> City Food Policy Conference<\/a>\u00a0 April 2024 Puranik, M. et al (2024)<\/p>\nFresh Street Community increases fruit and vegetable intake of citizens living in “most deprived area” of Reading: interim study results.<\/strong> Inequalities and Health Summit, Liverpool October 2024 Thomas, M. et al (2024)<\/p>\nFoodSEqual-Health: Tackling the dietary inquity that underpins health inequalities<\/strong> TUKFS ECR Sheffield Oct 2024 Puranik, M. et al (2024)<\/p>\nNeighbourhood based vouchers for local fruit and vegetables: what do we know about Fresh Street so far?<\/strong> Future Food Symposium<\/a> \u00a0University of Birmingham May 2025 Thomas, M. et al (2025)<\/p>\nFreshStreet voucher scheme to tackle food insecurity: Evaluating the impact of fruit and vegetable intake in two disadvantaged communities in England<\/strong>\u00a0Future Food Symposium<\/a>\u00a0 University of Birmingham May 2025 Puranik, M. et al (2025)<\/p>\nFood Systems Equality-Health & Fresh Street Community<\/strong>\u00a0 TUKFS Annual Meeting<\/span>\u00a0<\/a><\/span>\u00a0York January 2025 Wagstaff, C. et al. (2025)<\/p>\nFresh Street Community a multicomponent practical response to food and nutritional insecurity in deprived communities<\/strong>. RGS-IBG International Conference August 2025\u00a0 Thomas, M. et al (2025)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Webinar series<\/h3>\n
The project team have presented three webinars sharing the concept, progress and results of the project.<\/p>\n
Webinar #1 12 Sept 2023<\/a> – introduction to the project<\/p>\nWebinar #2 7 Mar 2024<\/a> – progress update and early results<\/p>\n
- \n
- social connection<\/li>\n
- health inequality<\/li>\n
- self-reported dietary behaviours and wellbeing status<\/li>\n
- the availability \u00a0and affordability of fresh produce<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- What is the acceptability of Fresh Street Community by local households , fruit and vegetable vendors, councils and other stakeholders?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/p>\n
Fresh Street vouchers<\/h2>\n
FS-Health has funded the provision of Fresh Street vouchers to households in both communities.\u00a0 It has also supported the running of an online ordering and bespoke fruit and vegetable stall in Whitleigh, Plymouth and a similar stall in Whitley, Reading engaging with community hubs Four Greens Community Trust<\/a><\/span> and the Salvation Army in Plymouth and Whitley Community Development Association (WCDA<\/span>) in Reading to facilitate these activities.<\/p>\n
At both sites, householders have been able to use their vouchers to purchase fresh produce from local wholesalers TamarFresh<\/a> in Plymouth and C A Belcher & Son<\/a> in Reading at the community hubs.\u00a0 The ordering system and stalls have also been open for other local residents to use.\u00a0 \u00a0Each of the outlets has also accepted cash\/card payments.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”2260″ img_size=”medium” add_caption=”yes” onclick=”img_link_large”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”2259″ img_size=”medium” add_caption=”yes” onclick=”img_link_large”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n
Householder engagement<\/h2>\n
The research team have monitored the footfall and voucher redemption rates across both sites and engaged with householders taking part in the study to understand their fruit and veg consumption (number of portions consumed of each) before, during and after the intervention period.<\/p>\n
In addition, householders have undertaken Food and Wellbeing Chats (24 hour recall) and, if they’ve wished,\u00a0 provided hair and urine samples for biomarker assessment which detect the presence of salt, sugars, fruit\/veg, plant or meat based food within their diet.\u00a0 NHS run health checks have been available throughout the study conducted by the NHS MeetPeet team at the community centre in Reading.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nThe Fresh Street<\/a> place-based intervention known within this project as ‘Fresh Street Community’ (FSC) has also examined the benefits of social connectivity at the two community hubs through a number of activities including cookery demonstrations, learning about composting and sharing recipe ideas and cooking tips, all within a safe social space environment helping individuals build stronger connections with their neighbours and fellow residents from the local area.<\/p>\n
The intervention ran for nine months (Jan-Sept 2024) in Plymouth and twelve months (Nov23-Nov24) in Reading and is continuing in both locations in the short term with support from FoodSEqual and Reading Borough Council. \u00a0Data collection is completed at both locations and analysis is ongoing.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n
Find out more<\/h2>\n
Further information about the interventions can be found here for Plymouth<\/a> and Reading.<\/a><\/p>\n
Publications<\/h3>\n
As the data analysis progresses, research findings are being shared on social media @foodsequal, at webinars, conferences, briefing notes and academic papers.\u00a0 \u00a0These will be added to this page as they are published in the public domain.\u00a0 If you would like further information about the research and outputs, please contact us via the Contacts page on this website.<\/p>\n
Our final FoodSEqual-Health Briefing Paper<\/a><\/span><\/strong> outlines preliminary results from interventions in Plymouth and Reading.<\/p>\n
United Kingdom Food Security Report 2024<\/strong><\/a>,<\/span> DEFRA<\/strong>: Theme 4: Food Security at Household Level, Sub-theme 3 Diet Nutrition,\u00a0 Case Study 1;The lived experience of food insecurity and its impact on health (page 352)<\/p>\n
Exploring Enablers and Barriers to a Fruit and Vegetable Voucher Scheme in England: Insights from the Fresh Street Community Feasibility Study<\/span><\/strong><\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0Pan,J., Relton,C., Howard, L., Garg, P., Puranik, M., Thomas, M., Bradbeer,J., Sutton, R., Wagstaff, C., Pettinger, C. (2025)<\/p>\n
Modelling enablers and barriers to improve uptake of a fruit and vegetable voucher scheme (the Fresh Street Community) in England: a TISM-MICMAC approach<\/strong><\/a><\/span> Pan,J., Relton, C., Howard, L., Pan, AO., Hunt, L., Garg, L., Bradbeer, J., Puranik, R., Sutton, R., Wagstaff., Pettinger, C. (2026)<\/p>\n
Presentations and posters<\/h3>\n
Fresh Street Community: Feasibility testing a community centre-based voucher scheme for fresh fruit and vegetables\u00a0<\/strong>Future Food Symposium\u00a0<\/a>University of Nottingham May 2024\u00a0 <\/span>Thomas, M. et al (2024)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
Fresh Street:\u00a0a place-based voucher scheme for locally supplied fresh fruit and vegetables<\/strong>\u00a0 Future Food Symposium, University of Nottingham May 2024\u00a0<\/span>Relton, C. et al (2024)<\/p>\n
Fresh Street Community: Feasibility testing a community centre-based voucher scheme for fresh fruit and vegetables <\/strong>Menus of Change Insights Exchange<\/a>\u00a0 June 2024 Thomas, M. et al (2024)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
Increasing choice of fruit and vegetables in diets of the UK disadvantaged communities through a co-created household voucher scheme<\/strong> Eurosense 2024<\/a>\u00a0Puranik, M. et al (2024)<\/p>\n
Fresh Street Community Scheme: Household vouchers for fresh fruit and vegetables<\/strong> ECR conference University of Reading<\/a> 2024 Puranik, M. et al (2024)<\/p>\n
FreshStreet Community: Household voucher scheme for fresh fruit and vegetables<\/strong> WPHNA Congress<\/a> June 2024 Puranik, M. et al (2024)<\/p>\n
FreshStreet Community Scheme: Household voucher scheme for fresh fruit and vegetables<\/strong> City Food Policy Conference<\/a>\u00a0 April 2024 Puranik, M. et al (2024)<\/p>\n
Fresh Street Community increases fruit and vegetable intake of citizens living in “most deprived area” of Reading: interim study results.<\/strong> Inequalities and Health Summit, Liverpool October 2024 Thomas, M. et al (2024)<\/p>\n
FoodSEqual-Health: Tackling the dietary inquity that underpins health inequalities<\/strong> TUKFS ECR Sheffield Oct 2024 Puranik, M. et al (2024)<\/p>\n
Neighbourhood based vouchers for local fruit and vegetables: what do we know about Fresh Street so far?<\/strong> Future Food Symposium<\/a> \u00a0University of Birmingham May 2025 Thomas, M. et al (2025)<\/p>\n
FreshStreet voucher scheme to tackle food insecurity: Evaluating the impact of fruit and vegetable intake in two disadvantaged communities in England<\/strong>\u00a0Future Food Symposium<\/a>\u00a0 University of Birmingham May 2025 Puranik, M. et al (2025)<\/p>\n
Food Systems Equality-Health & Fresh Street Community<\/strong>\u00a0 TUKFS Annual Meeting<\/span>\u00a0<\/a><\/span>\u00a0York January 2025 Wagstaff, C. et al. (2025)<\/p>\n
Fresh Street Community a multicomponent practical response to food and nutritional insecurity in deprived communities<\/strong>. RGS-IBG International Conference August 2025\u00a0 Thomas, M. et al (2025)<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Webinar series<\/h3>\n
The project team have presented three webinars sharing the concept, progress and results of the project.<\/p>\n
Webinar #1 12 Sept 2023<\/a> – introduction to the project<\/p>\n
Webinar #2 7 Mar 2024<\/a> – progress update and early results<\/p>\n