Grow Well

Join Grow Well and the RHS in growing Calendula officinalis to share the wellbeing benefits of plants

As part of Grow Well, the RHS are encouraging everyone to sow their calendula seeds during the first week of May.

Everyone is welcome to sign up to Grow Well – you don’t have to be expert gardeners. Schools and youth groups have demonstrated the fantastic benefits of growing, and through Grow Well, hope to help you share the feel good power of calendula.

For more information see: http://www.schoolgardening.rhs.org.uk/Competitions/Grow-Well

Blue Coat students work towards horticulture award

Weekly gardening activities at The Hub, Alexandra Park with a group of students from Blue Coat School have restarted, delivered by Northern Lily, a local Community Interest Company.

During these regular horticulture sessions, which are commissioned by Get Oldham Growing, the students will gain skills and knowledge to complete an AQA award.

The ongoing project aims to engage young people to learn practical gardening skills and knowledge, and physically be involved in growing, caring for and harvesting from the fruit and vegetable plants.

The young people have really enjoyed the sessions. So far, they’ve been busy getting to know each other, learning about tool safety, planting onion sets, transplanting broad beans, weeding and mulching growing beds, soil sieving and documenting their learning in workbooks.

Veg in the Park…almost there…

Veg in the Park – The Waterhead Hub is almost ready…

The more volunteers we have at the hub, the more veg we can grow…

If you want to get involved either email paul.howes@oldham.gov.uk

or contact the Veg in the Park group through facebook or Twitter

Fair Access to Food in Oldham

Community groups, residents and local organisations that are supporting people through food projects, came together on the 17th of June to explore how they could work together to achieve some of Oldham’s food aspirations.

Get Oldham Growing’s ‘Fair Access to Food’ event was facilitated by the Incredible Edible Network and began with a challenge from  Pam Warhurst, co-founder of the Incredible Edible movement – “what can Oldham’s food community do to support those in greatest need?”

Participants ranged from food banks and community cafes to community growing projects and school gardening clubs…reflecting the range of people supported though food in Oldham.

A ‘world cafe’ session looked at the  following themes:

• Supporting the local food economy
• Getting children growing
• Eating healthy food
• Forging strong communities around food
• Changing attitudes to food
• Supporting those in greatest need
• What are our aspirations?

Other activities included people contributing idea’s to a year 1, 2 and 3 timeline, mapping their activities and adding their thoughts to an aspirations tree (!).

Great discussions and ideas that will lead to positive action…

If you are interested in being involved in the next steps and/or contributing to discussions contact:

paul.howes@oldham.gov.uk

 

Roundthorn’s Community Garden

Roundthorn Academy is encouraging parents and local residents to grow their own…by giving them a garden!

School staff and pupils have created a shared community space at the front of the school for the whole community to use and benefit from. Leading by example, young people have planted the veg boxes with a huge range of vegetables and fruits in the hope that local people will benefit from their hard work.

Lisa Lockett, Head of Academy said “We have had an extensive gardening and outdoor learning programme at Roundthorn for a number of years now and we are very committed to teaching children the benefits of sustainability. We have been keen to extend our programme out to families and the local community for some time now and are thrilled that we have finally be able to create this garden and benefit the local community in this way”

The garden was officially opened by the Mayor of Oldham, Councillor Fida Hussain on the 29^th of April.

Roundthorn Academy is committed to supporting their community. Investing in shared growing spaces that benefit everyone is a fantastic idea, which will no doubt inspire others to do the same. Well done everyone!

Creating community spaces in Coldhurst

A fly-tipping hotspot in Coldhurst has been transformed into vibrant community hub for children to enjoy thanks to youngsters and housing association Contour Homes.

A consultation was held at St Hilda’s Primary in March, where students of the school’s eco council pitched three design plans for the new-look alley to local residents. Around 50 tenants attended and voted on proposals for a new painted games area, benches and equipment for planting.

Contour Homes, part of Symphony Housing Group, provided funding for the games area and donated the planters, and Oldham Borough Council cleared the alley.

The new area was unveiled to residents last week and tenants came together for a special event packed with family fun to celebrate. Those attending got to try their hand at planting vegetables and sample henna art, while children were treated to face-painting and got to try out the new painted games area, taking part in hopscotch and the long-jump.

The installation of new barrel planters in May, donated by Greenfingers Landscape Limited, will complete the growing area and 10 local families have already signed up to join a growing club to maintain it.

Sessions will be run in partnership with the BHealthy Meal Deal project and Get Oldham Growing, and residents will learn about cultivating organic produce and get tips on horticulture.

 

Anika Talakdur, aged seven, who is a St Hilda’s School Eco Councillor, and was involved in the design of the alley, said: ‘The smaller children got bored before and now they can safely play in the alley. Everyone is joining together more’.

Stephanie Hodgson, community investment officer, at Contour Homes, said: ‘We wanted to work in partnership with the whole community to come up with a solution to stop the fly-tipping.

The eco councillors at St Hilda’s had some fantastic ideas and it has made such a difference to the neighbourhood. There is a great sense of community spirit here; everyone has come together to make the project a success’.

Get Oldham Growing events this weekend

The Get Oldham Growing Ambassadors are out in force this weekend at community events across the borough…

On Saturday 25th April (from 11am), Cherryl is at Failsworth School for their Community Growing Day. Cherryl is helping the school to develop their Eco Garden to increase food growing and involve residents from the local area. The event is open to people of all ages and activities will include planting, gardening and habitat home building for bugs. You will be able to learn about food growing, healthy eating and find out more about the Failsworth School Eco Garden and the Get Oldham Growing programme. For more details contact Cherryl Brock on 07525 856644 or email cheryl.brock@groundwork.org.uk

 

On Sunday 26th April (11am-3pm), Growing Ambassador Louise will be joining forces with the RSPB at Dove Stone Reservoir. The event is all about encouraging visitors to Dove Stone to get growing! The free event will involve planting wildflowers at Ashway Gap and and sowing seeds to take home. You will also be able to learn more about local food growing projects and the Get Oldham Growing programme. For more information contact Louise Dinh on 07525 857 329 or email louise.dinh@groundwork.org.uk

Also on Saturday (1-4pm), Growing Ambassador Simon is taking part in the Big Local Oldham St. George’s family fun day at Waterhead Park. The event will be free of charge with fun for all the family, and a wide variety of activities for all ages. Come along and join in with arts and crafts, circus skills, inflatable fun from Commando Joe, family fun walk with competitions and prizes and gardening activities. For more information please contact oldhambiglocal@gmail.com or ring Fiona Jones on 07500828276

Meet Growing Ambassador Stephen…

Hi, my name‘s Stephen. I’m the recently appointed (Get Oldham Growing) Growing Ambassador for the areas of North, Central and South Chadderton. Having worked on community gardening projects with Groundwork for the past two years, I was very excited to get this job as a Growing Ambassador. Over the past couple of years my passion for community work and gardening has grown and I’m really excited about working with my local community to help get them growing and eating well.

Since taking on this role, I have started up two after-school gardening clubs and have another in the pipeline. The first one I started is at North Chadderton School. We had our first session last Tuesday in which we did a bit of planning and seed sowing. We also spent quite a bit of time admiring the schools shiny new polytunnel and greenhouse that’s just been built. The other is at Whitegate Lane End Primary School, where they’ve got a lovely, but slightly unloved little garden. Over the next few months we will be working with the children and teachers at the school to fill the garden with fruits, vegetables and flowers. We’ve already potted up some seeds including corn, potatoes, onions, carrots, tomatoes and cucumbers and are all really excited to see them grow.

I am also working in partnership with Naseem Ahmad, Community Development Coordinator at Great Places Housing Group, and the residents of Crossley Estate. The estate has recently been redeveloped and landscaped, offering plenty of opportunities – by way of four huge, newly-built raised beds, to help the residents to get growing.

They also have a new community centre with a small garden that the residents are going to grow food in that will be used by the ladies in the community centres pop-up cafe. We are organising a community event on April 7^th at the Crossley Centre from 1pm – 4pm, where we will be sowing seeds, planting herbs and promoting health eating. Residents will have the opportunity to learn about growing food and ways to use it in the kitchen, and even get involved in a bit of cooking themselves. I’ve heard there’s talk of fruit kebabs with a drizzle of honey, too! The event is open to anyone and everyone is welcome to come along.

For more about Get Oldham Growing projects and events in Chadderton sign up as a supporter, call Stephen Rimmer on 07525 857 496 or email stephen.rimmer@groundwork.org.uk