Mountford Growing Community is a small resident-led community organisation that seeks to strengthen community cohesion and health, to encourage civic participation and to reduce social isolation through various activities including the communal creation of an edible garden, community meals, workshops and recipe sharing days. We have planted fruit trees, nut trees, fruit bushes, vegetables, herbs and edible flowers. All our apple trees are heirloom varieties from the East of England Apples and Orchards Project. The garden enables residents to come together and socialise in an activity where non-verbal communication predominates through the physical nature of the work: digging, planting and harvesting. This is particularly important where language barriers can leave residents feeling socially isolated.
The organisation works with the young people on the estate, providing some after school activities and encouraging their engagement in civic life, developing their knowledge of the processes involved in working with the council and local community. These projects ensure that their voices are heard and their needs are met as the uses and designs of the public spaces on the estate evolve.
Mountford Growing Community is an inclusive organisation that welcomes everybody. It was founded by Rose Gibbs in 2016 with Stephanie Bierkandt, Simon Tabak and Mustafa Korel.
