The idea
Growing Together delivers outdoor conservation volunteering for diverse adults and older people in our stunning community garden and designated Local Wildlife Site.
We will deliver 6 outdoor volunteering sessions a week in our beautiful community garden or plant nursery. Volunteers will participate in a wide range of conservation or horticultural tasks to maintain the Garden for wildlife and the 3000 people who use it each year. Over the next year, volunteers will improve a wildflower meadow for pollinators whose populations are in decline and enhance our Forest Garden.
The project is inclusive and diverse people of all abilities participate. Those who require additional support take part in adapted tasks supported by our experienced staff.
The ward is which the Garden is based is ranked in the highest 10% for multiple deprivation in England and has child poverty levels at more than double the national average.
What we'll deliver
- 288 outdoor conservation volunteering sessions will be delivered over a year
- 70 people will benefit from volunteering
- A wildflower meadow will be replanted
- A Forest Garden will be improved and maintained.
Why it's a great idea
Montoring shows that the projcet has multiple benefits for volunteers and the Garden itself including
1. Improved wellbeing
2. More active life styles
3. Greater connection to nature
4. Improved social connections
5. Greater knowledge of gardening/conservation
6 Greater self confidence in learning.
7. Habitats are better maintained by volunteers
8. A wildflower meadow will be replanted benefitting pollinators
10. Our Forest Garden will be improved and more productive for wildlife and people.
Steps to get it done
- 6 outdoor conservation volunteering sessions delivered a week for 48 weeks
- A large wildflower meadow re seeded and planted with at least 200 pollinator-friendly plants grown in our plant nursery
- A forest garden improvement project completed with willow fencing cut back
This is a long running project with a tried and tested successful model with robust monitoring, evaluation and learning processes developed. We work in partership with a wide range of other organisations who support people to participate in the projcet including West End Refugee Service and Learning for Life (who support young adults with leaning disabilities who volunteer as part of this project)
