Friendships that bloomed through Olio 🌱

Olio Stories 3 min read

Jo first heard about Olio in 2019 in a women’s magazine, which inspired her to sign up and do her bit to help prevent waste. After using the app for some time, Jo later decided to become an Olio volunteer…

I wanted to give something back to Olio, so I became a volunteer. This was mainly to help prevent food from being wasted, but also a way to meet people. Due to ill health, I spend a lot of my time indoors and Olio has been an amazing way to meet new people and feel inspired by them and their stories. Many joke that I ought to set up a cafe in my front garden as we love to chat!

A few months ago Jo and her partner started discussing the idea of taking on an allotment as a way to get outside and to eat homegrown food. As Jo started to tell her requesters about her budding allotment journey, their response was truly heartwarming…

I recently had a newbie come to collect food items which I pick up from local businesses as a Food Waste Hero. We were talking and I mentioned that I was really excited to be starting out on an allotment journey. She sent me a message later that evening asking if I needed some things to help me get started and that she’d bring them around tomorrow.

Since then I’ve had many other Olio-ers offer to help set up the allotment too! One gave me 8 raised bed collars, another volunteer gave me courgette plants and another gave me sprouting broccoli. I’ve also been given leeks, spinach trees, sprouts, cabbage, beans, peas and cauliflower plants to put in. The support has been overwhelming and has highlighted just how supportive the Olio community is. I cannot thank everyone enough who’s helped. This truly means so much to me. I love volunteering and the thing I love most of all is the friendship, love and support that comes with it. This is what Olio is all about.

What’s more, through spreading the gardening love Jo has also inspired another fellow Olio-er to join the same plot and kickstart their own gardening hobby!

What’s the number one thing you love about Olio?

The people I meet! They have wonderful life stories and I love listening and learning. Olio has been fantastic in building my confidence and enriching my life with wonderful friendships.

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