We are thrilled to announce a new project! GROW Bradford on Avon has just been launched, as part of our response to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown. The idea is to provide hubs for the community to share seeds and plants with each other, and find solace in planting, growing and sharing as a community.
“TO PLANT A GARDEN IS TO BELIEVE IN TOMORROW”
(Audrey Hepburn)
On Sunday 26th April, Cllrs Dom Newton, Alex Kay and Emma Franklin set up two seed and plant stations – one in the Phoney Boxes box at the top of Whitehill (North Ward) and one at the planters on St Laurence Road (South Ward). The first batch of plants and seeds were grown/donated by officers and councillors, with Cllr Alex Kay donating quite a glut of tomato plants!
Cllr Dom Newton, Leader of the Council, who built the containers from recycled materials, said:
“GROW has already proven to be a huge success, encouraging people to get gardening and to share what they have – another example of the lovely community spirit across the whole of our town.
The project is about supporting resilience – both in terms of producing food and promoting biodiversity, but also, and especially at the moment, supporting people’s physical and emotional health and well-being.
Keeping active, and being outside, can make such a difference – and as this project shows that can be sowing seeds, planting up seedlings or recycling old timber into planting boxes! Both the concept behind the project, and now the public reaction, has been absolutely inspiring.”
The GROW Bradford on Avon page will share updates on further donations, projects, gardening vlogs and tips for gardeners and we really look forward to also seeing the fruits of everyone’s labour as the plants grow!
As well as supporting the community, we invite local businesses who might have vlogs, tips, or even materials/plants available, to get involved and share posts to the GROW Bradford on Avon pages, which will in addition help the community know about their available services during the lockdown, and beyond.
To follow the project’s social media pages visit:
https://www.facebook.com/GROWBradfordonAvon/
and
https://www.instagram.com/growbradfordonavon
If you’d like to get involved as a business or individual, please get in touch with our Communications Manager HERE
And do share your photos of items donated or how your gifted plants are doing over the growing season with the page: https://www.facebook.com/GROWBradfordonAvon/
Photos Lydia Booth photography