Idea in a Nutshell

Our Community Growth Project will invest in our GAU Allotment for the benefit of our members in the Afghan and other diverse communities by creating new opportunities for marginalised people in Glasgow to learn how to begin growing their own healthy produce.

We will create two accessible, facilitator-led multi-lingual workshop events which are free to attendees and focus on building practical skills in a friendly environment at which all are respected and encouraged. Most of the people GAU works with have recently moved to Scotland and lack the skills and knowledge to cultivate vegetables and herbs in this climate. Our workshops will teach those with some growing experience how to adapt their practice to the Scottish climate, and will equip those who are just starting with the know-how to begin, with an emphasis on growing popular items from Afghanistan which are not widely available in Scotland, eg, gandana.

The project will provide seeds and equipment, promote the benefits of local, healthy, organic fruit, herbs, spices and vegetables and provide a safe and welcoming facility for the use of members who experience marginalisation and deprivation and who lack the space, knowledge and equipment for growing in their own homes. It will support and improve a vital community resource which is beneficial to physical and mental health and wellbeing and which is a safe space to gather and combat isolation, as well as providing free healthy produce for distribution in the community. Participants will be supported in learning about seeding, growing and harvesting and how to apply this at home where possible, eg, using widow sills, pots, etc.

Workshops will be capped at 30 people per session to maximise hands-on learning and will be supported by volunteers from the community who will be empowered to support learning and who will gain the opportunity to build leadership skills. A multi-lingual approach will be used to support participation and we will cater the events to promote healthy diets and provide a nutritious culturally-appropriate meal for people experiencing low income to show them how they can use the produce. We will provide seeds for various varieties and the necessary tools, etc.