Who Abundance Wimbledon is and What We Do

There are lots of fruit trees in the Wimbledon area, but much of the fruit falls on the ground and is wasted. Abundance Wimbledon helps people to access this fruit and pick it.

Our main objective is that the fruit gets used. If at the same time, we can help people who might be struggling with the cost of fresh food, share skills, reduce waste and have fun doing all of this, so much the better!

Abundance Wimbledon works because lots of people do little bits to help. Here are the different ways you could help:
  • come fruit picking or organise your own fruit picking expedition
  • donate fruit, if you have a garden with surplus fruit
  • help with jam-making or baking with fruit
  • tell us about a local good cause that could use fruit, especially for cooking with
  • help to plan events or contribute fruity ideas
  • ideas for diverting other fresh produce from the compost heap - we'd like to support you

Over the last year, we have localised fruit picking and distributing - so there are now teams of people working together in Raynes Park, Morden, Wimbledon Park and Wimbledon Town Centre & Wimbledon Village. We are looking to localise even further and set up teams in Merton Park/Dundonald and Colliers Wood.

Where possible, we distribute the fruit picked to local charities.

The jams, chutneys, jellies, coridals, cakes, bakes and pies we make with the unwanted fruit are sold at our Annual Abundance Wimbledon Fruit Day (generally the 3rd Saturday in September each year).  To make the Fruit Day special, we arrange music, activities and also sell plants. We invite local community groups (such as Sustainable Merton) to have stall each year to continue our message about reducing food waste.

Other ways that we use our skills to reduce waste:
  • our pickings are collected in crates, trugs or buckets and distributed in the same way;
  • our pickings are stored in recycled cardboard fruit and vegetables boxes;
  • excess apples from a pick are cut up and frozen ready juicing at our Annual Abundance Wimbledon Fruit Day;
  • jam, chutney, jellies and cordials are produced in recycled jars and bottles;
  • our freshly pressed apple juice is produced in mainly recycled bottles;
  • we have reviewed our plastic usage and no longer sell apple juice by the (plastic) glass;
  • in 2021 we have produced our own Abundance Wimbledon cotton bags (for sale at £2.00 each at our Abundance Wimbledon Fruit Day);

Let us know if have any other suggestions on how we can reduce waste or if you'd like to help in some way by emailing us.

What Happens to the Money We Raise at each Annual Fruit Day?

Money raised at Fruit Day is used to finance Abundance Wimbledon activities. Most of the spending has been on buying equipment, plus hall hire and insurance for Fruit Day.
 
Abundance Wimbledon has a fruit press & crusher, 16 fruit picking poles and tubs, plus spoons, stationery etc. Any surplus funds are donated to local charities or used to purchase trees to be planted in the community.

How Much Money has Abundance Wimbledon Donated to Local Charities?

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