NFU horticulture chairman Michael Holmes made the announcement on September 27 following news from the New Opportunities Fund of the National Lottery earlier in the year that it will offer £10million to the trusts to explore how five-a-day fruit and veg initiatives can be set up locally. Holmes has now written to all 67 of the trusts eligible to bid for a share of the funding.

If there is enough interest from the trusts, the NFU said it could hold a series of regional seminars to explore initiatives.

Those trusts keen to work with the NFU have been asked to contact its chief horticultural advisor David Brown at david.brown@nfu.org.uk Possible schemes include working with supermarkets, neighbourhood retailers and farmers' markets to promote consumption through promotional events, in store competitions and pricing incentives. This could also include providing training for local shop-keepers about increasing sales of fruit and vegetables.

The NFU would also hope to involve local communities in producing food maps, showing outlets and comparing prices and availability of different foods in local shops, to inform better provisions and access to fruit and vegetables, in those trusts where its input was sought.

The union also suggests advice, provided in primary care, on how to increase consumption of fruit and vegetables. And school-based activities such as school competitions, growing schemes as well as workplace schemes, which include price incentives and information distributed to all employees with their pay-slips.

Other ideas are developing skills on growing and preparation of fruit and vegetable dishes and setting up community food services, including delivery services for those most in need.

Decisions about grants will be taken by an appointed five-a-day committee at a meeting in February 2003. Grant offer letters will be sent out to successful applicants in February/March of 2003 and the programme will run from May 2003 all awards will have been made and paid, and all grant schemes completed by April 2005.