Wycombe Wanderers have announced a new partnership with the One Can Hope project and Waitrose which will help the club produce its own vegetables.

One Can Hope is set to design and build an allotment at Wycombe’s training ground in an initiative aimed at educating people in the value of reducing food waste.

The project will also help club nutrition chef, Ahmed Maaref, produce healthy food for players throughout the season.

The Club’s head of Commercial, Damian Irvine, said: “We are asking local businesses to get more involved with their football club on a commercial level and it is important we reciprocate with our genuine involvement in community partnerships and projects such as this.

“Being able to grow his own produce will help Ahmed to continue to provide healthy choices to the squad each day at the training ground and also save the club money on food costs.”

The project, which has been designed by volunteer and award winning designer Vicky Davies, is also supported by Waitrose High Wycombe, who will provide expert growing advice, tools, equipment and seeds.

While Wanderers will benefit from the fresh produce, the One Can Hope initiative also aims to educate people in the area of food production.

UK households throw out around seven million tonnes of food each year, and it is these sort of statistics which the project is looking to address.

Managing director of One Can Hope, Sarah Mordaunt, said: “Partnerships are so important to our organisation and we are so pleased to be working together with Wycombe Wanderers and Waitrose.”

Irvine added: “The project highlights the fantastic work done on our doorstep by Sarah and her team at One Can Hope, and build our relationships with the fantastic new Waitrose store at Handy Cross.”

In related news Cllr Mohammed Hanif carried out his final engagement of the mayoral year by breaking ground on his ‘legacy fruit orchard’.

The orchard will be planted at the training ground in autumn and Cllr Hanif believes it will have a positive impact on the community.

He said: “This is a wonderful way to engage the local community and provide health benefits in terms of learning and producing food to eat. I am happy to support them.”