Ropewalk Community Garden attracts lots of people who don't know the first thing about 'growing your own'. We want to make sure they gain skills that they can use in the garden and take home to grow more of their own fruit and veg. This includes local families who don't have much of a back garden, uni students who spend most of their time in front of a computer, and other Southampton residents who want to get growing but don't know how.

We want to run guided workshops where people can learn more about growing food in a comfortable environment--able to ask questions, get their hands dirty, and feel proud about the new skills they've gained.

What we'll deliver:

• Tailor sessions for different ages and skill levels, so that everyone who comes to Ropewalk gains from volunteering
• Create new raised beds to provide more space for growing
• Offer people the chance to 'grow two, take one' so that we can help maintain enthusiasm for growing at home
• Plan and run weekly growing sessions throughout the summer
• Plant new fruit and veg throughout the garden to make it a more productive and beautiful space

Why it's a great idea:

By running gardening sessions, we are able to help people build up their skills in gardening, which encourages them to grow their own as they have the confidence and knowledge they need. Too often a lack of confidence is all that is keeping people from growing their own.

In addition, this allows people in the local area to get access to healthier food. Last summer we worked with children who lived locally and couldn't identify a strawberry plant and were shocked to see that potatoes grew underground. Ropewalk provides access to opportunities that local families would not have otherwise.

By having these skills-based sessions around what needs to be done in the garden, it also means participants feel that they are giving back while gaining skills, and it creates a better place for visitors to the garden--from people walking through to the mosque next door and other residents who come to have a more peaceful place to relax.

Steps to get it done:

• Buy in materials for additional raised beds
• Buy seeds and plants, making sure our greenhouse is well-stocked throughout the season
• Continue to employ our gardener, Ian, who can plan and deliver sessions for volunteers
• Continue to promote our work locally and beyond to recruit people for the sessions