Passionate about growing your own food? Find out how to access free training workshops

Tuesday, 21 June 2022 11:10

People in North Lancashire who are passionate about growing their own food can access free training workshops on how to set up and manage their own growing sites.

Lottery Funded Training Programme FoodFutures, The Plot and Claver Hill are seeking people with a passion for growing food, flowers and community to attend free (lottery funded) training workshops this Summer and Autumn.

This project will enable local residents to access local training to support them to plan, set-up and manage community growing sites, preserve food and save seeds - building community wealth and resilience.

They’re calling on people to turn patches or corners of land into amazing community growing spaces, buzzing with biodiversity, food and community.

Our current food system is responsible for around 30% of global carbon emissions and has additional negative impacts on people, other animals and planet. The climate impact of the UK food system, in particular, links to our dietary choices and food waste across our supply chains.

Our Food Futures: a community food strategy for North Lancashire, lays out a path for creating a “thriving local food system that is healthy, resilient and fair”. It envisions a future where everyone in our District has access to healthy food - food that mitigates climate change and facilitates environmental and social regeneration.

This training programme takes forward a small part of this vision by providing skills and training opportunities for local residents interested in setting up new, or developing existing, community growing projects.

As the training is based at two local food projects, it will also build local connections, whilst celebrating progress and models that can work.

The project aims to raise awareness of the role communities can play in the face of the climate emergency and to empower people to create structures and networks locally that practically address the impact of food.

Seed saving, natural flood management, water harvesting and composting are key aspects needed to build resilience as weather patterns change as a result of climate breakdown. Skills and expertise in these areas will be key for local communities wanting to grow food.

This programme will be based at two local projects: the Plot - a market garden and FarmStart training centre, and Claver Hill community food project, a 6 acre site which hosts a range of growing projects.

The programme includes 11 half-day in-person workshops, targeted at groups/individuals who are interested in sustainable land management and food production, and those that are part of communities who want to set up local shared growing spaces.

Each will also consider the impact of climate change on growing conditions and how we can adapt to the changing North Lancashire climate.

You can book tickets here

For more details, email foodfriends@lessuk.org or call 07960656523.