Getting Reading Growing

Food4Families is an educational and development project, a network of community gardens/allotments that runs regular drop-in sessions. The gardens are run by local people, supported by a Food4Families tutor. The project is sponsored by Reading International Solidarity Centre (RISC), who are considered experts in delivering educational programmes and materials in the formal sector.

The vision is to provide homegrown meals for families in need and enable locals to manage land of their own, grow local sustainable sources of food. Not only is this healthy and rewarding for our bodies and minds but for the air we breathe. Our community gardens can play a huge role in minimizing air miles and pollution whilst helping those who have struggled with reduced incomes and other negative effects from the Coronavirus crisis.

Food4Families are expanding growing areas and gaining dozens of volunteers. Allotment holders who continue to donate fresh produce to community organizations, deliver food parcels for locals and families in need. They do not only grow sustainable fruit, vegetables or plants but also grow strong bonds between local residents.

Here is a list of cultivating garden space in:

• Coley Park Community Allotment • Erleigh Road Community Garden • Gosbrook Growers Community Garden • Katesgrove Community Allotment • Lavender Place Community Gardens • Southcote Grow Allot • The Weller Centre Community Garden • Whitley Grow Allot

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BEWARE OF FRAUDSTER THROUGH THE PHONE

By Chloe Jones

Courier scam alert, there has unfortunately been a continuation of reports received, of scammers contacting individuals via the telephone. The scammers pretend to be either police officers/ scotland yard or bank staff.

It’s important to note that no genuine organization will send someone to your door to collect cash or take payments. You can verify someone’s authority by asking for their police collar number, hanging up, waiting a few minutes and calling 101 to ask for that officer. Never redial the number that called you. These scammers use a spoofed dialing tone to keep the line open. This means when you think you have hung up, you are still on the line to them, making you vulnerable to passing private information on to them. Call 101 on a different phone if you can. If someone claims to be your bank over the phone, do not share any personal information and hang up again. Wait a few minutes and call the number on the back of your bank card, remember to use a different phone. Banks keep records so they will be able to verify if they have genuinely rang you. Any genuine organization will encourage you to ring and check! Letting your friends, neighbors and relatives aware of this scam is productive and important. Scammers and Fraudsters purposely target vulnerable people over the telephone and threaten them not to tell anyone of the situation as well as giving a story to tell bank staff if they are asked for a reason for the withdrawal. Police will never contact you for assistance with an investigation or undercover operation. Hang up on these calls and report to Action Fraud 0300 123 2040 or online at https://www.actionfraud.police.uk Eldery and Vulnerable people in Reading have been especially targeted by courier fraudsters. Thames Valley Police is calling on friends and family to help tackle the problem by talking to elderly or vulnerable friends and relatives. The talk should cover:

• Never deal with cold callers on the phone or in person, no matter how polite or friendly they are.

Saying ‘No thank you’ and shutting the door or hanging up the phone is not rude. • Your bank, the police or anyone legitimate will never send a courier to your home to collect your bank cards or your money and they will never ask for your PIN number. Close the door, lock it and call 101 to speak to the police. • Keep a mobile phone next to your landline, and if you want to make a phone call immediately after hanging up the landline, always use the other phone. • If you do hand over your bank details or card, don’t panic. Call your bank immediately using another phone, such as a mobile phone, explain what’s happened and cancel your cards. • Legitimate callers will never try to rush you, scare you, or force you into anything. If you feel scared or pressured at any point, hang up or shut the door and tell someone you trust what’s happened. There are many variations of the courier scam, but it usually follows this method: • A fraudster will cold call the victim on a landline, often claiming to be from the victim’s bank, the police, or to be a fraud investigator. • The fraudster states their systems have spotted a fraudulent payment in the victim’s account, or that they need the victim’s help in investigating fraudulent activity at the bank. • In order to reassure the victim that they are genuine they suggest that the victim hangs up and rings the bank/ police back straight away. However, they don’t hang up at their end to disconnect the call from the landline so even when the genuine bank/police number is dialed the victim is still talking to the fraudster. • Finally, the fraudsters will send a courier to collect the card and PIN, cash or in some cases take the victim to a bank to withdraw cash.