Riverside Roots Secret Garden Bus

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Funded on
20 Jun 2023

To convert a Double Decker bus to create a community greenhouse in which we can grow fresh produce for inclusion for our food parcels for distribution to local residents most in need.

£15,357 Raised of £9,032

64 Backers

170%

Want to help?

We need people to offer skills, time or resources to develop this project. Check what’s needed below, then click ‘Volunteer’ to get involved.

Come and join our happy band of volunteers! Do you have skills to share in: Art & design Gardening Joinery & other DIY? Visit us on site to see how you could help us transform our double-decker bus, & please show your support by pledging your time.
Time is ticking on our fundraising clock! Can you help us with our fundraising campaign? If you're skilled in marketing, fundraising, publicity or public engagement we'd really appreciate your help. Can you offer us your support? Please get in touch!
Can you or your business help our appeal by donating or loaning equipment? We need: Cleaning materials Paint (interior & exterior) Timber Tools - for joinery, painting & gardening Soil & compost; plants & seeds Visit our site to see how you can help!

Hazel Oakes offered
Bus exterior design workshop with community and creatives, then creating a final design to incorporate all the ideas and messages into a cohesive show stopping design that has the vibes of Building Futures East. Assisting in painting and installation of the exterior painting.

http://buildingfutureseast.org

Building Futures East delivers a range of employability, vocational, and personal development, training and work experience opportunities to individuals in disadvantaged communities in the Newcastle area.

Our ethos is one of local delivery of high quality, intensive one-to-one support, training and other health, wellbeing and specialist support, underpinned by a philosophy of compassion and service. Most of our services are free at the point of delivery, and are offered in direct response to needs identified and communicated by the communities we support.

At the outset of the Covid pandemic in April 2020, we established ourselves as a central hub for food delivery to disadvantaged families in Walker and Byker. This was in direct response to needs expressed by local schools who had to close during lockdown and who had families who would usually have been eligible to receive free school meals for their children. We responded swiftly and mobilised a team of volunteers who assisted in distributing meals to low income families with children. Very quickly however, the issue of food poverty escalated not least because of the job losses that increased as a direct result of the pandemic.

Today, as the UK cost of living crisis deepens and many more families fall into fuel and food poverty, inward referrals for our food support are increasing yet again.

We are running this campaign to fund transformation of a double decker bus to provide a quirky greenhouse space, where as well as growing fresh nutritious produce, local residents can sow the seeds of hope and contribute to the creation of a food oasis and vibrant social hub.

Involvement in this exciting initiative will also deliver physical and mental health benefits and reduce social isolation.

Our bountiful bus will be open to all, offering the opportunity for both young and old to share experiences and learning.

Project Owner: Building Futures East The Project Owner takes legal responsibility for receiving and spending the funds raised and ensuring the project is delivered.