Food Growing
On 1 Feb 2008, BRCC and its partners started work delivering 'Nourishing Neighbourhoods' - a 3 year, £150,000 food based community health project. The aim of the project is to support the most disadvantaged communities across Luton, Dunstable and Houghton Regis,so that they can enjoy and benefit from increased physical and mental health and general well being.Nourishing Neighbourhoods is only one of 25 projects in the Eastern region funded under the Well Being in the East - Big Lottery Fund programme. Additional match funding has been secured to date from Luton Primary Care Trust and Luton Borough Council.
Nourishing Neighbourhoods builds on and integrates two successful community led pilot projects, both of which have recently been completed - a fruit and vegetable box scheme operating in targeted communities across Luton; and a community food and skills project operating in five most deprived communities in Luton and Dunstable (download a pdf report on this project).
As the project title suggests, 'Nourishing Neighbourhoods' will be making connections to food and exercise with activities ranging from food growing, community gardening, healthy eating, healthy cookery and a fuit and vegetable box scheme.
Work planned for this year includes:
- supporting users of Luton's Learning Disability Day services and Older persons day care services to establish their own food growing and flower gardens at community centres across the town
- providing training and support in food growing and community gardening to a Childrens Centre and Community Trust in Marsh Farm, Luton
- establishing a community fruit and vegetable box scheme
- reviving a community garden and food growing area at Tithe Farm Neighbourhood Centre, Houghton Regis
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