Herald - Issue 410

v SAY YOU SAW IT IN THE HERALD v 5th August 2021 • The HERALD • Page 5 MP Guttering & Roofing Services • Fascias, Guttering, Soffits, Cladding and much more PVCu work • All roof repairs, gutters, flat roofs, chimney repairs • Moss removal 15% Discount for OAP’s Established 30 years 07730 377114 023 8087 9135 mpgutteringservices@outlook.com DECORATOR INTERIOR & EXTERIOR PAINTING General Small Maintenance Works Reliable, Prompt with a High Standard of Work Fully Insured • Free Estimates NICK CROUCHER 023 8084 8154 or 07594 582194 IT’S A FAMILY AFFAIR ere’s not a lot the Long Family don’t know about fresh Fruit and Veg. In fact, supplying fresh produce to the people of Southampton and the surrounding area is something that has been in the family for over 100 years. When you visit one of their market stalls and meet Sam Long, Granddaughter of founder William (Bill) Long, it’s clear to see why they are so highly respected and what the secret is that keeps customers coming back for more. Put simply - ey care. To date the 3rd generation greengrocers are the longest serving stall holders on the High Street in Southampton. Starting when Sam’s grandparents, Bill and Elizabeth, took to horse & cart to bring fresh fruit and veg to the public – with Elizabeth running barrows backwards and forwards to keep the cart moving as in the 1930’s they were not allowed to park the horse and cart up – but it didn’t stop them! Sam’s Father, Barry Long, followed in his father’s footsteps when Bill retired, trading for well over 40 years until daughter Sam took over from her father 15 years ago. In addition to Southampton, e Long’s have been serving the public at Alton Market every Tuesday for over 45 years and are rm favourites at the ever-popular Saturday Market in Lymington – trading to this day since the mid 80’s. Caring about the produce and the community they serve is Sam’s number one priority. When the pandemic hit back in 2020 Sam quickly drew up a plan to reach her loyal customers by o ering COVID-secure doorstop deliveries to those most in need. Finding a new ‘home’ in the car park of St Andrew’s Church in Dibden Purlieu was Sam’s daughter’s idea – bringing fresh fruit and vegetables to the people of the Waterside three days a week, with pre-ordering available. ey will even carry the fruit and veg boxes straight to the car for you! ey have agreed with the Church that they will continue trading every Wednesday, ursday & Friday and Sam is delighted, saying : “I feel truly blessed in the Lord’s car park . There isn’t a day that goes by that I’m not blown away by how lovely the community of the Waterside are; it’s a privilege to serve such wonderful people”. It’s easy to see why the Long family name carries such a good reputation - they are sticklers for quality. All produce is hand-selected and bought daily; chosen for freshness, avour and quality, and where possible, seasonal and sourced locally. e strawberries smell and taste like strawberries should and are locally picked from the New Forest. e watercress & lettuces are from Romsey and they also stock delicious New Forest asparagus. As you can imagine, Sam is also passionate about looking a er our environment, so they only use minimum plastic, opting instead for paper bags and boxes with all packing containers going straight back to the suppliers to re-use or recycle. With extremely competitive prices, super fresh quality, a wide variety of local produce and outstanding customer service, it’s plain to see why they really are the pick of the crop. To place an order for collection call Sam on: 07912 505065 or visit: www.facebook.com/samlonglimited Offering a vast selection of fresh fruit and veg at St Andrew’s Church, Dibden Purlieu