Through Thrive Plymouth Year 5, we are promoting opportunities to connect with others through food in Plymouth. Below are some examples of how you can connect through volunteering. Please visit Thrive Plymouth and Food Plymouth for more opportunities.
Poole Farm
Plymouth City Council is working with partners to create the city's newest park, Derriford Community Park. This site is rich in wildlife, will have Poole Farm at its heart, alongside a new visitor and education centre. Since 2015 volunteers have contributed over 6000 hours working from Poole Farm, planting over 1,200 meters of hedgerow, the city's largest orchard and wild flower meadows as well as establishing an apprenticeship scheme and habitat surveying. The farm will be a major part of the Community Park which will provide a food and cycle path network and new access points for local communities.
How this supports the Sustainable Food Cities Silver award
- Enabling people to experience and participate in a working farm, better understanding the provenance of food farmed using sustainable methods
- Promoting healthy and sustainable food to the public through our farm experience days, community orchard and beekeeping training
- Working in partnership with other organisations to set up new projects such as woodland ranges holiday club, city wide orchard network, livestock management
- Running regular volunteering sessions, free and open to all, teaching a range of farming and land management skills
- Providing apprenticeships and training in land management and animal care in partnership with Duchy College
How to connect
- Visit www.plymouth.gov.uk/poolefarm to find out more - @poolefarmproject
- Take part in a family event
- Sign your school up for an educational farm visit
- Volunteer at Poole Farm every Tuesday from 9.30am to 4pm
- Sign up for a formal accredited Animal Care course through our partners Duchy College
Grow Share Cook
Grow Share Cook is a volunteer-based project in Plymouth that addresses food poverty, healthy eating and building social connections. Since 2014, it has delivered a free fortnightly supply of free fruit and vegetables to pur most disadvantaged families. It has:
Provided 23,360 meals to 1,611 people
Involved 86 volunteer growers, drivers,and cooks with some of the cooks drawn from people who themselves have been receiving food bags.
Resulted in 85 per cent of those who have taken part, saying they now have a healthier diet and 89 per cent saying that Grow,Share Cook has helped improve their cooking skills.
How to connect
Volunteer for Grow Share Cook
Buy a suspended food bag for a disadvantaged household
Visit www.tamargrowlocal.org to find out more