Fruit and veg at your service

Brand new If we can, you can member Barbara Chrisp has shared her truly inspirational story online. Here’s a recent article that was featured on her and her business The Cabbage Patch in the Hartlepool Mail, which delves into the impact Barbara is making in the Easington District, as reported by Tracy Walker.

A mum dubbed the "Jamie Oliver of the North East" is helping to give hundreds of schoolchildren a healthy start by launching a fruit and vegetable delivery service.

Barbara Chrisp has started up a business, The Cabbage Patch, which supplies fresh produce and healthy eating advice to SureStart children's centres and other community groups.

The 41-year-old was forced into a change of career when she was made redundant after eight years working for Sunderland-based finance firm CitiGroup.

Barbara, who is mum to 13-year-old Lucy Parkin, grows a lot of her produce in gardens at her home in Stewart Drive, Wingate, and also orders stock from suppliers.

She said: "Finance was all I really knew for the past 20 years and it was a real shock when I lost my job."I've been growing my own produce for a few years and it was something I really enjoyed.

"You hear a lot of things about people in the Easington area not eating a great deal of fruit and vegetables. Easington is generally a low income area, fresh produce isn't perceived as being cheap and I want people to see it as something affordable. "

Barbara launched her business with the help of business advisors Be Enterprising and now works with 10 Peterlee SureStart centres. She also supplies Peterlee's Rosemary Lane nursery with produce for school lunches.

Be Enterprising coach Chris Churms said: "Barbara is incredibly focused and keen to work with everyone. She's the Jamie Oliver of the North-East!"

Barbara also visits Horden Social Welfare Centre every Thursday afternoon to sell fresh produce. She also runs a weekly market stall at Horns Garden Centre, in Shotton Colliery.

Barbara provides weekly deliveries to customers in small, medium and large bags. All contain potatoes, onions, carrots and apples, with customers selecting additional fresh fruit and vegetables on delivery. Barbara also accepts Healthy Start vouchers as part-payment.

Read more about Barbara's inspirational journey by clicking here