The thing about boxes

During a low ebb in the last dark week of Winter lockdown, a call went out asking people if they could create some joy by decorating or writing on their Fair Food boxes.

A few days later, arriving with the beginning of Spring, a box appeared covered in pictures of fruit. It was followed by another and then another and then for the next month a steady stream of decorated boxes flowed into the Fair Food warehouse warming the hearts of all who saw them.

Pictures of the boxes were excitedly shared around staff group chats and on Fair Food’s socials.

The joyful love-heart and stripey boxes caused a stir, veggie puns brought groans, cool black and white lithograths were admired, the lion-flower-iguana cooler lid could have been framed and the Tawny-frogmouth/Brawny-cogmouth box continues to mystify.

There were jokes and messages of solidarity, even a little board game hidden in the bottom of a box for the next owner to play.

Edible weed authority, Adam Grubb, even reported witnessing a roving installation – a Fair Food box with only a pair of legs visible walking down his street.

As much as we wanted to keep them, the boxes went through Fair Food’s custom-made Steri-Matic 7000 UV steriliser, were repacked and sent out into the world with their pictures and messages heading to new homes.

There’s no end date to decorating boxes, it’s not something with a start or end.

Every time we see a box come in it brings us joy and every time it goes out it again it spreads a little hope.

A final request – When you put your box, decorated or plain, out for collection, you’ll make your driver’s day if you flatten it first.

And if you do come out to talk about the influences you’ve drawn on for your piece or just to say, hi, remember to wear your mask and keep your driver safe.

Have a great week,

Chris