Veggie Park Programme – Local Food Scheme

The Local Food Scheme is a Big Lottery funded project focused upon developing the growing of

fresh fruit and vegetables in the local community through the provision of allotment facilities

and the development of previously unused areas of land.

The main purpose of the project being to promote the financial and health benefits of home grown projects.
Linda Cross and John Mulliss, Project Co-ordinators have been in post for over a year now, and

along with a team of volunteers are continuing to develop specific identified areas of work in order

to achieve these social objectives through the application of a business minded approach to ensure

sustainability and continuity of the Local Food Scheme after the funding has ceased.

To that end, links are being forged in the local community, and a particularly positive sub-project,

involving Academy 360 Year 11 pupils in designing, building and planting out a sensory garden is

well underway. This facility will greatly enhance the enjoyment of elderly people and young

children on their visits to the Pennywell Youth Project.

View the progress of this project by clicking here.
Other areas of development are the community fruit and vegetable stall, housed in a purpose

designed trailer and which will in Spring 2011 be open to sell fresh fruit and vegetables.

                     Fresh Vegetables for sale                            And plants for sale

On the PYP site, we also have a large pond with a myriad of wildlife inhabiting it and the

surrounding area; the chickens continue to be an attraction, especially to the younger children,

and of course we have our two beehives, which have survived the winter, are thriving, and from

which we hope to obtain our very own Pennywell honey later on in the year.

             Our bees 'busy' at work                           Both of our hives

The Local Food Scheme is also developing positive links with other community groups

from within the area – for example The Four Seasons, and provides a range of “hands on”

experiences in all aspects of planting/wildlife habitats.

We have a number of chickens in our allotment/Veggie Park are providing fresh eggs

every day. These birds just make the point that eggs don't always come from a supermarket.

We have developed a number of local enthusiastic volunteers who in return for

their sterling efforts, are benefiting from experience and training in aspects of horticulture.

There has also been a considerable uptake of offers of plots of land by people young and

older in the locality.

For more  information John Mullis or Linda Cross on 0191 5345357