Riverford is donating thousands of surplus sweetcorn cobs to help feed Extinction Rebellion environmental activists in London next week.

The Buckfastleigh organic veg box company has donated around 5,000 cobs to the climate action group, which is staging a two-week direct action and mass protest from October 7, across London and other cities.

Guy Singh-Watson, founder of the veg box company, was joined by local Extinction Rebellion volunteers to pick thousands of surplus sweetcorn cobs to feed the London activists.

Guy said: ‘I’m supporting Extinction Rebellion because I want there to be a future for my children, and the billions of other people on this planet. Right now, I see Government failing in its responsibility.

‘I think we all have a responsibility to do our best for the planet and for future generations.’

He was joined in the fields by around 10 volunteers from the Totnes branch of Extinction Rebellion, as well as Riverford co-owners, who were undeterred by the rain to pick throughout the day.

The sweetcorn cobs will be delivered to London by Riverford and used to help feed the thousands of activists expected to attend the protests from next week.

Extinction Rebellion has three core asks in its protests - for the Government to tell the truth; reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025; and establish a Citizen’s Assembly to oversee climate and ecological justice.