Connecting the local community with their food…

Following the latest round of Country Land and Business Association Charitable Trust (CLACT) grants, a deserving non-for profit organisation has being awarded £5,000 towards improvements of their facilities. This comes after £20,000 in grants were awarded to a range of projects across the Midlands, all designed to encourage disadvantaged children and adults to engage with nature and spend more time in the countryside.

Established in 2009 and located just outside Hereford, Growing Local CIC is dedicated to inspiring communities to grow, cook, and enjoy locally sourced food. Recently, they acquired a 19-acre agricultural site, where they plan to create a space for growing vegetables for the community, along with a children's education garden, orchards, and picnic areas.

This grant will be used to part fund the construction of a timber field shelter which will contain an outdoor kitchen, and provide protection from the sun and rain, enabling visiting schools and community groups to cook with produce picked directly from the garden.

Project manager and Director for growing Local CIC, Louisa Foti said “Growing Local would like say a huge thank you to the CLACT for supporting our field shelter and kitchen project!

“We began development of our children’s garden in the winter of 2023/4 and have constructed many vegetable, herb and soft fruit growing areas, which local schools and the community have enjoyed since the spring this year.

“We’ve used lots of our gorgeous produce in a makeshift field kitchen but cannot wait to see our new permanent field shelter and outdoor kitchen take shape over the winter.

“The CLACT have so kindly supported the construction of the kitchen, which will be used and enjoyed by our visiting primary and secondary schools, holiday workshop attendees and youth and adult volunteers to cook delicious, healthy made from scratch meals, using veggies picked directly from our garden.

“Thank you CLACT for making this happen!”

The CLACT is supported by subscriptions and donations from CLA members, an organisation that assists almost 26,000 farmers, landowners, and rural businesses. It is dedicated to backing charities that share its goal of linking disabled or disadvantaged people with the countryside.