Comfrey Almanac Publication

Funded on
08 Jun 2024

The Comfrey Almanac is a volunteer-led, collaborative, digital and print book project revealing the global in the local, showcasing our volunteers' engagement with their gardens across Tyneside.

£10,539 Raised of £10,529

28 Backers

100%

Costs

Printing and Publication £3,940
Artist preparation and 8 workshops with Comfrey Project participants and team £3,000
Design & Production Management of The Comfrey Almanac £3,000
Target: (inc. fees) £10,528

https://thecomfreyproject.org.uk/what-we-do/

The Comfrey Project aims to create a society where refugees and people seeking asylum feel they belong and are respected as valuable members of the community. The charity provides a safe, welcoming place for people who have fled conflict and persecution to improve their physical and mental wellbeing, develop new skills and put down roots in their new community.

Our Story:

From our beginnings in 2001 at Moorside Allotments in Newcastle's West End, since 2018 we are a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, with garden and allotment sites in Moorside, Walkergate and Windmill Hills in Bensham. Ours is a place where everyone is made to feel at home and everyone is encouraged to play an active role. Our volunteers, who are people seeking asylum and refugees living in the North East, give back as much as they gain, sharing their skills and knowledge with others and helping to make decisions about how the organisation is run.

Our approach is based on the use of horticulture-based activities including gardening, bee-keeping, cooking, crafts and construction, to improve people’s lives. Our regular programmes include: Community Garden Sessions; Language Support; Community Drop-In; Kitchen Garden; Afghan Chai and Grounding.

Our mission is to:

Use our gardens as a basis for creative activities which improve physical & mental wellbeing;
Provide a safe, welcoming and empowering environment;
Empower people to fulfil their true potential and contribute to society;
Build skills, resilience, confidence, self-esteem and purpose;
Provide learning opportunities, information and signposting to other resources;
Highlight the experience of living through the asylum process in the north of England;
Build relationships, partnerships and networks that enable collaborative working.

Our values are to:

Regard each person as unique and treat them with dignity;
Respect everyone regardless of background, and also age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion and race;
Place participants at the heart of all planning and delivery;
Be informed, constructive and robust in our work;
Protect, care for and enhance the environment.

Together we strive to make The Comfrey Project a place where people’s mental and physical health – and overall wellbeing – improves through taking part in meaningful activities, learning, and through contact with nature, other people and the local community.

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