Prince Charles visits FCFCG members
Members of the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens featured on a five day tour by HRH The Prince of Wales around some of the UK’s best examples of sustainable living.
The Royal Tour included visits Ouseburn Community Farm in Tyneside, the Incredible Edible project in Todmorden, Yorkshire and Arkwright Meadows Community Gardens in Nottingham as part of Start, a national initiative by The Prince's Charities Foundation to promote and celebrate sustainable living.
The Prince of Wales, who has been FCFCG’s Patron since 2002, travelled on the Royal Train, which runs on sustainable bio-fuel. He hosted a series of meetings and receptions between station stops and invited a representative from FCFCG aboard during one of the journeys.
At Ouseburn Community Farm, which provides environmental and farm-related education and training for children, he opened a new beehive as part of a city wide initiative to boost bees. He also spoke with volunteers in the kitchens and the gardens and saw an innovative recycled greenhouse made of plastic bottles. The Prince of Wales was also presented with a jar of honey and some homemade chutney.
In Todmorden, he visited a local market set up to showcase the Incredible Edible initiative, which encourages businesses, schools, farmers and the community to increase the amount of local food grown and eaten in the town. The Prince then visited Eco Kids, a programme where sustainability messages such as waste management, energy efficiency and growing your own foods, and other such issues are tackled.
And in Nottingham His Royal Highness enjoyed a visit to Arkwright Meadows Community Gardens, an area of former wasteland now transformed into a green oasis.
Jeremy Iles, chief executive of FCFCG said: “This was a great opportunity for HRH The Prince of Wales to see how member groups of FCFCG are leading the way when it comes to addressing the very real issues of sustainability. Our members work hard to help empower people to have a greater say in the future of their communities, raising awareness and education about sustainable issues."
