Grow it, Cook it, Eat it

A community growing and cooking project

The Grow It, Cook It, Eat It project supports local people and communities to benefit from growing their own food at home and on communal land. 

Background to the project

In Buckinghamshire one of the financial consequences of COVID-19 is an increase in people experiencing food insecurity.  Encouraging individuals on a low income to be involved in food growing and cooking can help to reduce food insecurity and promote healthier eating as well as the additional benefits of enhanced physical activity, reduced social isolation, an improvement in mental health and potentially helping to uplift community spirit.

Buckinghamshire Council has commissioned Community Impact Bucks to work as Expert Gardeners, guiding and supporting local volunteer Community Champion Growers to develop and manage Community Growing Sites in locations across Buckinghamshire that have been identified as areas of deprivation.  The Project is community-led with the support of the Expert Gardeners.

Aim of the project

The Grow it, Cook it, Eat it project aims to develop a sustainable infrastructure, creating a resilient local food solution across Buckinghamshire. This is in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and focuses on areas where help is needed most in the community to ensure nobody goes without fresh food. The project brings communities together to:

  • Grow fresh produce on a communal growing site
  • Promote healthy lifestyles and choices
  • Create community cohesion, resilience and wellbeing
  • Educate and ensure people have the knowledge and skills to use the produce grown to develop nutritious meals, and utilise store cupboard staples.

How to get involved

If you are interested in helping out at the Community Growing Project sites, below is a list of some of the activities you can take part in:

  • Planting: bulbs, seeds, plugs
  • Tending/watering the plants, tidying the garden, weeding and harvesting
  • Tool maintenance
  • Fundraising
  • Event/activity planning
  • Donating: materials, plants, tools, seeds

If you have any gardening or growing knowledge to share, the team would love to hear from you. There are also opportunities to help by nurturing young plants and seeds at home, picking up donations and putting up posters in the local area.

For more information on the Community Growing Project, get in contact with Community Impact Bucks by emailing Karen at info@communityimpactbucks.org.uk or calling 01844 617231 / 07821 133408.

The Grow it, Cook it, Eat it project complements the Gardening and Wellbeing Service and the Handy Helpers Service which are also provided by Community Impact Bucks.

Location of Community Growing sites

The Community Growing Project currently runs in two locations:

  • HIGH WYCOMBE: The Sharing Garden, Micklefield Library, Micklefield Road, High Wycombe, HP13 7HU
  • IVERS: The Ivers Community Growing Project, Back of the 1st Iver Heath Scout Hut, St Margaret’s Close, Buckinghamshire, SL00BZ.

If you would like more information about either site, including how to get involved, please contact Karen by emailing info@communityimpactbucks.org.uk or calling 01844 617 231 / 07821 133408.

Grow it, Cook it, Eat it: Volunteer stories

A team of 17 volunteers from Saepio, an information security company based in High Wycombe, stepped in to help kick-start the Grow it, Cook it, Eat it project in Micklefield, High Wycombe in August 2021. Read about their experiences in our case studies section.

Further details on the countywide project

Visit Buckinghamshire Council’s Grow It Cook It Eat It to find out more on what is happening with the project countywide.

Additional sites

If you know of a piece of land suitable for a growing project or you are interested in getting involved, please contact info@communityimpactbucks.org.uk / 01844 617 231 / 07821 133408.

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Image courtesy of St Francis's Children Society