Community kitchen garden to be set up in Crewe

 

Future careers in food could soon be shaped with the help of a community kitchen garden which is coming to Crewe.

St Barnabas Church Hall, in West Street, will host the £55,000 project which will provide plots to grow fruit and vegetables in an environmentally-friendly and sustainable way.

The aim is to reduce food miles and carbon footprints by growing produce locally, whilst providing educational grounding for people who might consider a job in food or horticulture.

The ‘kitchen’, to be sited in the church hall garden, will be launched on Friday, June 10 at 6.30pm when Crewe Mayor, Councillor Roy Cartlidge, will cut the first sod.

Father Powell, of St Barnabas Church Hall, and other church elders and guests will also be present.

Councillor David Brown, Cabinet member with responsibility for performance and capacity, said: “The introduction of this garden will make better use of the outdoor area at the church and also improve access for the disabled.

“It will prove useful to various community groups and luncheon clubs and also introduce local schools and students to possible career choices and opportunities within the horticultural and food sectors.

“We aim to be an excellent council and work with others to deliver for Cheshire East.”

The garden, which is National Lottery-funded, is being created by the Enterprise Education Alliance (EEA), which specialises in working with local communities and schools to create gardens of this type.

The EEA is working closely with Cheshire East Council’s local engagement team on the project.

Councillor Roy Cartlidge, ward member for Crewe St Barnabas, said: “I am pleased to see that this garden will have educational value as well as being environmentally-friendly and I congratulate the local engagement team on this project.”

Produce will be sold to the community at affordable prices and money raised from will fund the garden in future years.