Community Grower
The Community Growers model has been inspired by the Growing Communities project in Hackney (London), and more locally projects like Woodlands Community Garden in Glasgow, and Granton Community Gardeners right here in Edinburgh.
Community Growers is different from our Neighbourhood Garden model in that: it seeks to grow at a network of sites; the participants grow as a group rather than managing their own raised bed; and the produce is channeled towards shared community meals and local good causes. A Community Growers project could run alongside a Neighbourhood Garden in the same community.
Participants are supported by a community gardener who teaches volunteers how to grow, co-ordinates food production. The community meals may be delivered by the same group, or with a local community food partner.
We would normally establish a members association to enable participants to govern the project, but we would not anticipate handing over responsibility for the running the project to the association unless the participants are keen to do so.
The Community Growers model is part of Edible Estates response to the Scottish Government’s Dignity report, we are also collaborating with other organisations to establish Community Food Hubs in several parts of the city.
If you are interested in setting up a Community Growers project in your community please contact us – hello@edibleestates.co.uk.