Grow with Us at The Grange
'Grow with Us'
Is a long-term gardening project linking disadvantaged young people and adults with disabilities with members of the wider community who have an interest in allotment style gardening and a desire to pass on their skills. The project currently offers Work Placement opportunities for 20 students from local schools and colleges. The students, with support from their college or school mentors, have the opportunity to develop their employability skills along with the known well-being benefits of gardening.
Since 2012 through the hard work of the 'Grow with Us' team the project has re-instated an old enclosed vegetable garden area at Ulverscroft Grange, creating a series of vegatable and flower producing plots, developed and enhanced the Foundation's orchard, installed a greenhouse and created raised gardening beds.
As a result the Grow with Us project goes from strength to strength:
- Increasing knowledge and skills for all involved.
- Increasing wellbeing through social interaction and recreation
- Creating a positive, enjoyable learning environment for the community.
- Using the produce in the Foundation’s kitchens thereby benefiting other members of the wider community including the elderly and adults with disabilities.
This community project brings real benefit to both the young people and the volunteers as a joint learning experience.
All this could not have been achieved without the wonderful ongoing support of our 'Grow with Us' volunteers and the generous backing from local community groups and companies including:
- Rotary Club of Loughborough Beacon
- Leicester Host Lions Club
- Hartley Botanic UK
- Community Service Volunteers
- Richard Gibbins Plant Hire
- Staines Mini Plant
- Wilkinson Hardware Stores Ltd
- Woodhouse Eaves Horticultural and Craft Show Committee
The Foundation is always looking for companies, local organisations and individuals to support this and other very important projects. If you are interested in supporting and/or volunteering at the Grow with Us project please contact us on 01530 244914 or email hello@shuttlewood-clarke.org
