A veg delivery service is offering free food boxes to vulnerable people across the Portsmouth area

Boxxfresh, based in Titchfield, has pledged to fund five deliveries of fresh fruit and vegetables each week to vulnerable/elderly and isolated people who otherwise would struggle.

Co-founder Jon Barfoot said: ‘We’re a community-based service and support a host of local sports clubs, schools and groups. This is a time of need and there are people struggling like the elderly, vulnerable and isolated.

‘My belief is that you can’t take from anything unless you’re prepared to give without expectation. This isn’t an easy path as it doesn’t put profit before people and takes more personal effort.

‘Sure we’re a commercial business, but the work we’ve done within the community – particularly with Trafalgar school in the home economics department with Grant Morris – is what rewards us.’

He said that part of the reason behind the initiative is to offer fresh food to people who can prepare it easily and quickly when needed.

He said: ‘We want fresh, quality locally-sourced food to be affordable and not out-of-touch. Our prices are comparable to supermarkets. Our recipes are basic one-pot quick and easy dishes that anyone can do with the minimum of kit. No ponce or faff, just great food to feed a family quickly and best of all its 100 per cent plant-based so makes veg the main event. Our veggie bolognese can be used in about 5 different dishes…not to mention the left-overs for later in the week.

‘We can’t help everyone, but promise to fulfil our pledge through this time of need.’

Launched in 2016 by husband and wife duo, Jon and Kelly Barfoot, the business offers home delivered fruit and vegetables.

The couple developed a bread made out of vegetables in 2018.

In 2019, they teamed up with zero-emissions cargo bike firm Zedify to offer home-delivered food across Portsmouth, Winchester and Southampton without using cars of motorbikes, - an initiative which aims to save several tonnes of CO2 emissions annually from Portsmouth, Southampton and Winchester’s streets.