A new initiative is underway at Speedwell Court care home in Southampton to improve its green credentials and encourage residents to get more involved in the preparation of their meals.
The home’s gardener, Mark Line, and Catering Manager, Sam Woodhouse, have put the ‘seed to feed’ project together. Gabrielle Turner, the Environmental Sustainability Coordinator at The Abbeyfield Society has also been reaching out to organisations and businesses in the local community to obtain support.
Gabrielle has so far managed to source free woodchip and timber and various other items from Freecycle. Homebase in nearby Winchester have also supported the project by donating compost, fruit trees and seed packets, while Eastleigh B&Q and Southampton Airport have pledged more seeds, tools, and equipment, and the latter a small donation.
She said, “We are continuing to look into different funding opportunities and are delighted to have secured our first grants from the Southern Co-op Greener Neighbourhoods fund and the W.G. Edwards Charitable Foundation. We are grateful for all the organisations who have lent their support to this project.”
Speedwell Court residents, staff and community members have been volunteering their time to support with planting and planning, and local children have been helping to plant seeds in the greenhouse, which they will be monitoring over the next few weeks.
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