Cheap fruit and vegetables are being offered to hundreds of people in deprived communities across Bradford to promote healthy eating.

Three food co-operatives selling fresh food at prices one-third cheaper than supermarkets are bringing vital nutrition to the doorsteps of people in Little Horton, West Bowling and Windhill.

The groups are part of the Bradford Foodlink Network which also includes health promotion chiefs, dietary experts at St Luke's Hospital and Bradford City Farm which has an allotment.

Alan Keeling, a volunteer with the Windhill Food Co-op which celebrates its first anniversary next week, said the service was proving hugely popular, particularly among elderly people and families unable to get to shops to buy greenstuffs.

"The whole idea is not to make a profit on it and we reckon we save about a third on supermarket prices," he said. "It's especially good for pensioners on their own who might only want to buy small quantities.

"Here, they can have whatever they want."

Anna Frater, a community development worker on the Canterbury estate, said the co-operative serviced three sheltered housing locations and needed help to extend to more.

"We want to get people in community groups to look at diet and healthy eating."

She said supermarkets were expensive and people often needed cars to get to them. "A low-cost service in their own neighbourhood is great."

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