Queen of Greens (QoG), a mobile greengrocer serving isolated communities across Knowsley and Liverpool, is facing disruption as its second-hand buses become unreliable and fuel costs have nearly doubled. The Community Interest Company, which operates from a bus filled with fresh fruit and vegetables, travels to 23 stops each week to improve access to healthy food and reduce food waste in areas dubbed 'food deserts', where residents cannot easily reach a shop selling fresh produce.
During a recent stop in Kirkdale, the team's second bus failed to start, forcing them to use a smaller van and cancel some stops. Founder Lucy Antal said the organisation has never been able to afford new buses, relying on second-hand vehicles that come with their own issues.
Rising Costs Threaten Service
Antal described raising funds to maintain the buses as "probably the most stressful thing," noting that diesel costs have risen sharply. "We were paying £212 a month on fuel, now we're paying over £400," she said.
A Crowdfunder has been launched to raise £10,000 from public donations for a new van, with donations of up to £250 matchfunded by Aviva's Communities Fund to potentially reach £20,000. The crowdfunder runs until November 12.
Community Impact and Support
The buses make key stops at Asylum Link, Refugee Women's Connect, children's centres, and Broadgreen, Aintree and Royal Liverpool University hospitals. In the last year, QoG has served over 10,000 customers and received 116,465 Alexandra Rose vouchers, each worth £1 to help low-income families with young children access fresh food. The service also sold 634kg of UK organic apples, over 1,200kg of potatoes, and 705kg of cabbages.
Antal highlighted the diverse needs of customers, from Middle Eastern and African heritage shoppers seeking aubergines, peppers, tomatoes and chillies, to Eastern European customers in Wavertree or Picton looking for dill, potatoes and cucumber for Polish cooking. A local man in Kirkdale praised the service, saying: "It's a good service, is quite fresh and has a lot of choice."
Future Plans and Local Sourcing
Antal envisions council-owned or supported neighbourhood shops run as community co-operatives, where residents could buy items like a single washing tablet or choose how much pasta they need. Heidi Henders, community education officer, organises events such as the Disco Chop, funded by the Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority, to encourage people to use up food that would otherwise go to waste.
The team sources produce locally, including organic items from Kindling Farm such as kale, celery and crown prince pumpkins, offering organic food at the same price as conventional shops. Senior greengrocer Paul Flannery, with the team since 2018, noted that customers can see where fruit comes from, such as blueberries from Lancashire. The crowdfunder remains open for donations to help the team reach its goal.
