Food coops are not a current phenomenon, the first coops were established over 150 years ago. We first came across the West Lothian Food and Health Development at Carmondean Library in 2008 while using the library for one of our workshops. It is a voluntary led and run initiative which aims to reduce the barriers associated with eating a healthy diet by supplying fresh fruit and vegetables to a wide range of retailers.

Our conversations at the library soon led to the idea that we could use our creative skills to help promote and publicise this great local initiative. We worked on a visual identity that had the feel of a typical fruit-market vendor and through our a series of drawing workshops developed ideas for the posters and fliers. We then explored different methods to create the printed materials which led to an interest in screen-printing. Bernie Reid an Edinburgh printmaker then worked with us to make our visuals a reality.

The publicity material continues to be used by Welfehd which has gone from strength to strength. A renewed interest in printmaking through the The Foundry project has led us to explore the potential of setting up a simple public screen printing facility in West Lothian and are working with Bathgate House to make this a reality.