We are excited to announce that we will have Joe Knights speaking at our Cultivating Connections event. You will hear about the network of Yeovil's growing and green spaces and the work of the South Somerset Environment Forum, which connects projects, shares expertise and organises work parties, which includes the skilled scythers from Able2Achieve.
As part of our event preparations, we were privileged to be guided around a number of green & food growing spaces in the Yeovil area, some of which we have mapped and others which are emerging or need protecting, with Joe keen to find ways to engage local communities in these gardens. Growing sites include:
- Westfield Community Garden
- The Geranium Trust
- Birchfield & St Marks garden spaces
Also on the tour was Elaine, one of Sustainable Food Somerset’s passionate food volunteers, who is exploring the many avenues and opportunities surrounding food, growing and community across Yeovil, as well as encouraging groups / businesses to take part in The Somerset Food Trail this year.
We want to share Elaine’s ‘food thoughts’ for Yeovil, and we hope to include discussion of these on the day:
- A town connected by green growing spaces that allow fresh vegetables and fruit to become available to create meals in local cafes, community hubs and homes.
- Supported learners and members of the community develop new skills growing, harvesting and cooking fresh food.
- Regenerated land in various locations around the town to create ecological diversity whilst providing food for wildlife and local population.
- Identifying those in need of support with mental, physical or emotional support by offering help with overgrown gardens; a sign of not being able to cope
- A cafe providing meals made with the fresh food grown in the town displaying that daily meals can be created with what is available, increasing culinary knowledge for staff, learners and customers alike.
- A scything community helping to regenerate local areas
- A Tool repair and use facility to ensure everyone can participate in growing
- A Repair Shop to recycle equipment
- Seed, saplings and plugs to provide councils with more wild flora in the town and to widen the network of people planting native plants.
- A continuous Green Route, to allow visitors arriving by train to cycle and walk throughout on safe routes and visit all of the regenerative areas and the further entertainments available (e.g Theatre, Literary Festival, Sports Events, Arts)
More information on the Cultivating Connections event coming soon!