mmg.com.au

An Invergordon orchardist’s donation of peaches will help feed people in need — locally and across the state.

Doug and Jacinta Brown on Thursday donated about 15tonnes of peaches to not-for-profit organisation SecondBite.

The organisation makes a positive difference to the lives of vulnerable people by collecting surplus fresh food, which would otherwise go to waste, and redistributing it at no cost to the community agencies that feed people in need.

Mr Brown was interviewed on ABC radio about his industry and his concerns regarding wasting excess fruit.

SecondBite heard the interview and contacted Mr Brown, who agreed to donate the fruit to the organisation.

Moira Cares — a Moira Shire partnership with the Rotary clubs of Cobram, Numurkah, Nathalia and Yarrawonga to help support people in need — donated $1500 for labour costs.

Mr Brown said buyers were looking to cheaper, overseas imports instead of in their own backyard — and while he’d rather not have an issue of excess fruit, he was pleased it wasn’t going to waste.

SecondBite food program manager Russell Shields said the organisation last year ‘‘rescued’’ more than 3millionkg of fresh food and redistributed it to people experiencing difficulties.

He said more than 1.2million people regularly ran out of food.

Mr Shields said peaches from the Browns’ orchard would be delivered to Shepparton Food Share, Bendigo Food Share and agencies in Melbourne including Sacred Heart Mission, St Mary’s House of Welcome and St Vinnie’s Soup Vans.

‘‘We have delivered two to three tonnes of fresh produce — oranges, strawberries, apples, kiwi fruit — to the Shepparton Food Share in Mooroopna on our way through to collect from Invergordon, which has in turn been shared with Robin from Cobram Food Share.’’ Mr Shields said.

‘‘This is a fantastic result for agencies in the area that are now receiving fresh nutritious produce not normally available to them.’’

Mr Shields said SecondBite accepted donations of fruit, vegetables, meat and dairy from anywhere in Victoria.

●If you can help, contact logistics and food procurement manager for Victoria, Mark Patton at markp@secondbite.org or phone 0458658365.