Celebrating our 20 Year Anniversary with The Growing Hub
The Growing Hub is a non-profit making Community Interest Company, whose ethos is to bring individuals together, for hands on experiences in learning to grow fresh produce which is gifted to local people on low incomes and Food Distribution Schemes (Foodbanks & Foodshares).
https://www.gofundme.com/TheGrowingHub-VegPledge
They aim to provide a fun supported environment for individuals to learn at their own pace, how to grow, maintain and harvest fresh produce in a natural environment. Such experiences can improve personal well-being, offering individuals, who are often reliant on other people for support, the opportunity to be the person offering the assistance whilst having a positive impact upon addressing barriers.
Raising the Shed
The first initiative being planned by Document Genetics to support The Growing Hub is to purchase them a well needed shed. (Huge thanks to Karl at Sunnigdale Timber who discounted the shed to £1,000 so we could buy them a shed large enough to accommodate storage and meeting space for all 10-15 volunteers).
The shed is being installed in March 2019.
The Veg Pledgers Fundraising
The Growing Hub operates a community project at the Rowley Fields allotments and are in need of tools & materials to enable volunteers and organisers to cultivate the plots to maximise yields of food crops from the allotments, so our second initiative involves us organising and participating in a 56 kilometre sponsored cycle/walk, on April 27th 2019, from our offices in Sywell to the allotments in Leicester.
To make it a fun occasion some of the team will be doing the walk dressed as vegetables and all the stages involve pubs! :-)
Stage 1: Start 09.00, Cycle 33k from Document Genetics offices NN6 0BN to Foxton Locks Inn, LE16 7RA. Arrive 10.45-11.00 (70% off- road via cycle tracks).
Stage 2: Start 12.00, Walk 13k from Foxton Locks to The Navigation Pub, Kilby Bridge, LE18 3TE. Arrive 14.45 -15.00. (97% off road with fields to cross via bridleways and footpaths).
Stage 3: Start 16.00, Walk 10k from Navigation Pub to The Growing Hub project at Rowley Fields Allotments, LE3 2ER. Finish 18.15 -18.45 (Canal tow path and old railway lines so very flat).
https://www.gofundme.com/TheGrowingHub-VegPledge
Please donate & share as this is a fantastic cause which helps families in food poverty. No volunteers or organisers take wages or expenses from these donations. * No need to add a tip to gofundme as they already take a transaction fee.
If you'd like to Get involved with any part of this event, please email
Since May 2017, Hub has:
- Engaged volunteers from Leicester, Leicestershire and Northampton (aged 20 to 70 years) all with different needs, physical abilities, long term health and mental health issues, including brain damage, impediment, anxiety, isolation, low confidence/self-esteem and substance dependence/recovery.
- Hub volunteers have gifted over 1,500 volunteering hours in various activities; delivering events,workshops, populating social media; building of pathways and fruit cages; up-cycling pallets for constructing raised beds, tables, compost bins and gates; making jams & chutneys; cultivating land,sowing, planting, weeding & harvesting.
- The Growing Hub has provided fresh seasonal vegetables to 270 families via to five Foodbank/shares, plus, over 70 people in care homes for the elderly.
We pride ourselves in picking the produce the same day as the Food is distributed, thus providing fresh produce that is all too often in short supply for foodbanks and foodshares. - Feedback has told us that people engaging at The Growing Hub feel a sense of belonging and feel more valued. They also say that they see themselves linked to the wider community, whilst others see it as a practical step towards employment.
Volunteer Testimonials:
“I enjoy coming to the Growing Hub, because the association with other people all working together with a common aim has helped me over-come the anxiety that I was suffering. The exchange of ideas makes us feel involved and all that I have learned and the encouragement from the team has encouraged me to use
what I learnt in my own vegetable patch in my garden”. Mark
“I suffer with anxiety, but find coming to the farm is relaxing, and keeps me fit, there is no pressure... We are a team and everybody gets a say. Ideas come from everyone”. Melanie
“I enjoy working with the team as it gives me more confidence and I like growing and seeing the end product – for community and foodshares and learning different things every time”. Tony
“I normally don’t like being out in the open, but I like it at the Growing Hub working in small group learning to plant onions and garlic and then showing others how to”. Simone
“I suffer from mental health issues, so it keeps me from sitting at home depressed”. Matt
“My quality of life has literally grown from working at The Growing Hub and being with like-minded people”. Francis
“Having opportunity to volunteer and grow vegetables, to learn about planting, harvesting, crop rotations, learning new skills, working in a wonderful team. Volunteers are so passionate about growing”. Ann
“So rewarding just being here, it has built my confidence by meeting new nice and friendly people, seeing plants grow from seed and watch them grow into healthy vegetables ready to eat and share. Makes me so proud to be part of the Growing Hub. I love it and it’s about teamwork, respect to you guys let's keep growing”. Pauline
“I enjoy the family atmosphere being outside, keeping fit whilst learning how to grow and harvest vegetables and meeting new people who also help out at the Growing Hub”. John
