Supermarket launches food-growing scheme

One in four schoolchildren have never grown anything in a garden, plant pot or allotment, according supermarket chain Morrisons - as it launches a major drive to get schoolchildren growing their greens. Figures show that nearly 10 per cent of children think bananas grow in British gardens and the same number have no idea that potatoes and carrots can be grown in a garden. Research has also shown that three-quarters of children are not eating their recommended five portions a day of fruit and veg. The ‘Let's Grow' campaign has been created with the help and advice of the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens. Packets of seeds  will be sent to schools taking part in the scheme for teachers to encourage pupils to have fun with food and start planting - enough free seeds to grow around 1.5m salad leaf plants for six million salad bowls.  Read more...

Big grant for small groups

Small local community groups can apply for a funding boost after the Government unveiled a new £80m Grassroots Grants scheme. The three-year programme, funded by the Office of the Third Sector and run by the Community Development Foundation, is open to any local community groups with annual income below £20,000. Groups can apply for awards of between £250 and £5,000 to fund community activities. The application process has been kept deliberately simple, and the grants will be distributed directly through local funders. Read more...

Top awards for community groups

Is your project making a real difference in your local community? Do you feel it raised community spirit in your area and helped improve the quality of life of local people? Then enter the BURA Awards for Community Inspired Regeneration. Sponsored by the Department of Communities and Local Government for a third year running, these awards celebrate best practice in community regeneration in urban and rural areas across the UK.

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Community Spaces offers big funds

Community Spaces has opened its doors to the eagerly awaited large and flagship grants. Grants of between £50,000 and £450,000 are now up for grabs for community groups wanting to improve green and open spaces in their neighbourhoods. The programme, which is funded with £50m from the Big Lottery Fund’s Changing Spaces programme, has been open for small and medium applications since March 2008 and has so far received more than 200 applications.

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Minister visits award winning farm

A top Government minister has been given a special tour of a city farm in the North East region, after it secured a prestigious national award.

Baroness Andrews, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Communities and Local Government, was shown around Bill Quay Community Farm, which this month won a Green Flag Award to confirm its status as a high quality public green space.

 

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Contaminated manure

Farmyard manure tainted with a powerful pesticide residue is causing abnormal growth of vegetable crops, leading to a surge of complaints from allotment holders and gardeners. The suspect manure originates from farms using the hormone-based herbicide aminopyralid, which is found in products marketed by Dow AgroSciences Ltd and is normally sprayed on pasture land to control weeds.

 

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Community farms and gardens research published

The true value of city farms and community gardens has been highlighted in a research study carried out by FCFCG, which assessed the impact and value of community farms and gardens to individuals and communities. The findings showed community farms and gardens provide tangible benefits to people's lives, increasing their well-being, community involvement and pride in their local environment. The full report will be available from this website in September 2008. Meanwhile, a summary of the research can be downloaded here:  true value leaflet. And an attractive A2 poster summarising the true value of community farms and gardens can be downloaded here:  true value poster.

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