Editorial commission from a small food voucher charity - Liverpool photography

Published on Mon Mar 13, 2023 by David J Colbran

Recently I had a really interesting commission from a small organisation - The Alexandra Rose Charity - who fund food vouchers and discounted food sales to communities across the UK. A regular client - a social housing provider - had passed on my details and after a phone conversation with the charity everything was firmed up.

The photography was to illustrate food vouchers being used at a mobile shop van outside a primary school in inner-city Liverpool. Through the 'Rose Vouchers for Fruit & Veg Project' the Alexandra Rose Charity helps families on low incomes to buy fresh fruit and vegetables and supports them to give their children the healthiest possible start. A family receives £3 of Rose Vouchers for each child, every week, or £6 if the child is under one year old. And the criteria and issuing is all managed by the Sure Start / Children's Centres out in the community - so a proper decentralised service.

Of course it was tricky getting people's permissions for photos but the trader Paul from Banana Bunch was super helpful. Here is a little quote from him lifted from the charity's website;

"I love doing my job. I’m really passionate about it. With the bus, you go out, and you’re serving the community. When I heard that the Rose Vouchers were coming to Liverpool, I wanted to be involved. Selling fruit and veg from the bus is such a great idea because you go into people’s communities."

A total of 9.7 million adults experienced food insecurity in September 2022, the Food Foundation reports. Over half (53.8 per cent) of universal credit claimants faced food poverty in September. One in four households with children experienced food insecurity in September 2022 – affecting four million children.

Author: David J Colbran