£9400 donation backs playgroup's community growing project
An Arbroath playgroup has received more than £9400 from an NHS charity to help fund a social project for pupils and their families.
Inverbrothock Playgroup has received the cash from NHS Tayside Charitable Foundation for its initiative which help children learn to grow their own food while providing fresh produce to local families.
The funding will enable the playgroup to expand its growing space, increase food production, create secure storage for its community larder and provide staffing support to ensure the project can be successfully delivered.
The initiative, Growing In Our Community, will benefit the playgroup’s 32 families, representing around 120 individuals, while also supporting more than 100 people in the wider community through access to fresh fruit and vegetables.
At the heart of the project is a commitment to helping children to develop a healthy relationship with food.
By planting, nurturing and harvesting fruit and vegetables themselves, children will gain valuable life skills while learning about nutrition, sustainability and healthy eating.
The project builds on successful work carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic when the playgroup distributed freshly grown produce and recipe packs to local families during lockdown periods.
Due to the positive impact on families, the initiative has continued through the provision of food bags, soup packs, herbs and staple ingredients such as carrots and potatoes.
With the new funding, the playgroup will be able to expand this support, creating a larger growing area and strengthening its community larder programme.
The project will be led by the children themselves, who have already been helping to choose the fruit and vegetables they would like to grow, engaging their enthusiasm about eating, reducing waste and increasing engagement.
Shelley McCarthy, NHS Tayside Charitable Foundation’s chief officer, said: “This initiative perfectly demonstrates how small investments can deliver significant benefits for children’s health, well-being and education while also providing practical support to families across the community.
“The project encourages healthy eating, develops important life skills and strengthens community connections, all while putting children at the heart of the decision-making process.”
Jennifer Beatie, from the playgroup, added: “Our core values focus around sustainability, community support and making sure our little learners have the best and most varied experiences.
“We are absolutely delighted to be partnering with NHSTCF to help our local community.
“The children and staff have been working hard to plant, grow and maintain our crops and its great to see it come to fruition.
“Arbroath Men’s Shed were fantastic in bringing together the vision we had and have built us a fantastic larder for our produce.
“We have also added in a learning library and are implementing a no waste policy so anything left over doesn’t go in the bin.
“We want to say a huge thank you from our trustees, staff and most importantly the children.”