Growing Communities in Carrickfergus

ITV Region: UTV  /  Year: 2009

Winner!

Helen Tomb
Conservation Volunteers Northern Ireland
Beech House
159 Ravenhill Road
Belfast
BT6 0BP

Website: www.cvni.org.uk

This project will develop a community fruit and vegetable growing project at Carrickfergus Community Allotments at Eden.

It will include developing a demonstration garden and horticultural training room. Both these resources will help local people to grow their own food and build links to local communities, encouraging cross-community working.

The project will involve many of the local schools in ‘Grown your own Food’ projects at both the allotments and the school grounds, helping to encouraging healthy diets and exercise.

It will also involve people from deprived communities in the wards of Northland, Sunnylands, Clipperstown and Love Lane in Carrickfergus and will also give people with physical and mental health difficulties the opportunity to get involved with a community project.

The impact of the project will include improved community relations and reduced tension, increased knowledge about diet and healthy eating, increased skills and employability and reduced stress and improved mental health.

Local community groups have been approached and have expressed an interest in being involved in the project.