Volunteers needed to grow food for community feast
Volunteers are being sought to join in with a new community growing scheme that will initially produce food for a community feast at this summer’s Grow Festival in Corby, launching with a Big Plant Out during National Gardening Week on Tuesday 30th April and Thursday 2nd May.
With support from Building Connections, a new fund aiming to combat loneliness and improve social connections within communities, Groundwork Northamptonshire are establishing four community growing spaces in Kingswood, Exeter, Hazel Leys, and Lloyds estates in Corby. Staff from Groundwork Northamptonshire’s existing community allotment at The Green Patch in Kettering have already been busy installing raised beds to make the growing spaces more accessible for all ages and abilities so that everyone can enjoy learning about growing home-grown produce.
The food grown will be cooked by three local chefs from different cultures represented in the town and served to the public at a community feast in Coronation Park during Corby’s Grow Festival, which this year is celebrating all things culinary. This year’s festival, commissioned by Made in Corby and co-produced by The Core at Corby Cube takes place on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 July 2019 and will once again animate the town centre with hilarious street performers, magical family pop-up shows and spectacular art, all inspired by the theme of ‘food’.
In order to grow the food needed for the feast, volunteers will be needed on an ongoing basis to tend to the plants, such as herbs, potatoes, tomatoes, courgettes and beans ready for harvest in July. At The Big Plant Out launch events, you can start getting involved by transplanting seedlings that have been grown in polytunnels at The Green Patch to the four new growing spaces in Corby.
Find a community garden near you
You can join in with growing activities every week throughout the spring and summer, led by staff from Groundwork Northamptonshire.
Tuesdays:
– Kingswood Neighbourhood Centre from 10.30am – 12.30pm
– Hazelwood Neighbourhood Centre from 1.30pm – 3.30pm
– The Autumn Centre (Exeter estate) from 6pm – 8pm
Thursdays:
– Stephenson Way Community Centre from 10am – 12pm
If you would like to get more involved with your local community, enjoy growing vegetables or would like to learn and want to meet new people, Groundwork Northamptonshire want to hear from you. Please contact Stacey Willis, either on 07703159904 or email stacey.willis@groundwork.org.uk
More information about this project and Grow Festival can be found on the Grow Festival Facebook, Twitter and Instagram channels.