The Growing Together projectsTwo projects share the Growing Together space that AVEL has created on the site of the former Allendale First School playing field
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THE HIGHER GROUND ALLENDALE PROJECT
Higher Ground Allendale is a social enterprise that seeks to improve mental health and wellbeing through gardening and outdoor activity. From the first spade in the ground of the old First School field in February 2018, to completion of the veg plot and the Medway building renovations in November, it has been an incredible year of hard work, networking, and planning.
Through workshops, donations and plant sales, we raised the funds to transform the field into a growing space, sensory and herb garden and decorate and clear the building area. We have had the help of 65 volunteers donating over 550 hours of their time to get to this point, and now the project is open to referrals for those struggling with their mental health who could benefit from exercise, support and fresh air. Our service offers gardening sessions on Fridays and Saturdays with a qualified horticulturist, opportunities to learn new skills and structured supported personal development plans. So what's next in the garden, well things are starting to grow! We planted some garlic, peas, spring onions and beans in the poly-tunnel and they're coming up nicely, and Sam is busy clearing the outdoor beds ready to plant more veg as soon as the time is right. Once we have harvested our first crops we will be selling our organically grown produce to raise money for the project. We've mulched the beds ready to plant in the Medway garden and we're busy planning the timetable of events and public workshops for the year. In the public part of the garden we aim to plant fruit trees and have picnic benches in a public orchard at the top and we have been granted funding to restore the pond garden and picnic area for everyone to enjoy. Look out for changes coming in these areas soon.
We have just taken on some new volunteers for our little team and we are always looking for more for jobs such as these, so please get in touch with us if you'd like come along and help. We’ll see you on site! |
Our next workshop is Apple Tree Grafting facilitated by Honest Graft on Sunday the 24th March 2019. |
This project aims to help restore upland wild flower meadows and it has been extraordinarily successful in identifying both donor and receptor sites for seed harvesting and plug planting. Organising seed sowing workshops and growing on the plants over the year whilst being looked after by our dedicated team of volunteers. The project has engaged with around 130 volunteers and over 11,000 plug plants were planted during the autumn of 2018. Species included Globeflower, Ragged Robin, Wood Cranesbill and Melancholy Thistle; which by increasing diversity deliver the habitat restoration outcomes that the project set out to achieve.
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