Fancy getting your fingers green? Read on for the latest info from the Footprint Trust. Ed
The Island’s Adopt-A-Garden project is to offering free training to new would-be gardeners thanks to funding from The Big Lottery Fund’s Local Food Programme.
You Can Dig It
The ‘Can You Dig It?’ training scheme will start in March 2011. The local Footprint Trust charity set up the Adopt-A-Garden project two years ago, with the aim of matching up those without gardens with elderly people who could no longer look after theirs. No money exchanges hands and those involved share the produce.
However, the Trust soon discovered that many who wished to ‘adopt’ a garden had no growing experience and thus could not join the scheme.
Ray Harrington-Vail, the Trust’s General Manager explains, “Many young families live in flats or only have very small gardens and thus have no growing space of their own. On the other hand many older people have gardens they can no longer tend.
“Many people have no experience of gardening and growing and thus need to get some basic guidance and assistance.
“We applied for funding from the Big Lottery Fund’s Local Food Programme and they liked the idea of training more people to join our successful scheme. We always have a shortage of gardeners and thus this free training will fill that gap.
“The Adopt – A -Garden scheme helps reduce food miles and the food bills of those taking part and helps build a stronger community.
“Our bid to the Lottery was backed by IW Age Concern, The Youth Council, Home Start the IW Council and many other organisations and individuals.”
Get in touch if you want to take part
The free training will start in March this year and is limited to 20 people on a first come basis. Priority will however be given to those who are willing to ‘adopt’ a nearby older persons garden.
For more details please contact Don or Ray on 822 282 or email [email protected]
