Young People

Young Buds Thriving

November 26th, 2009 |

Author: admin

The Grow it, Eat it, Move it, Live It (GEML) project continues to thrive at Nechells Play Centre in inner city Birmingham. A large quantity of vegetables has been harvested so far by growers there. The crops have been mainly: Beans, Carrots, Tomatoes and Lettuces. The young people and staff at play centre have been eating salad during the summer holiday on wraps and at 2 Barbeques they had with burgers/hotdogs.

Jacky Jones the principal play worker, tried to generate interest on a similar concept some years ago. However; when she heard about the GEML project, she approached Debbie Jones the GEML co-ordinator with a view to revisit the idea. With a new injection of resources and tools; Jacky had already identified a plot within the grounds of the play centre and set about guiding the young children on how to plant the seeds.

By the 4th week of the summer holiday, the children and play centre staff had started to pull the bigger carrots and every day they took about 12 out. The young children washed and then ate them raw almost immediately! They’ve not cooked any yet; thanks to the young people, they haven’t got as far as the kitchen!

There are tons of tomatoes – again, the cherry vine ripe ones are picked and eaten. The young people are picking tomatoes daily; the Beans are still going strong and been picked every couple of days. Corn on the cob is coming along but needed a few more weeks as it was planted a little late.

In all there have been approximately 15 children and young people that have put a lot of hard work and effort into the plot and are still helping to water the plot and pick the produce. The kids as a group are certainly enjoying eating the carrots & tomatoes practically on a daily basis. Andy Foster has been talking to them recently about starting an herb garden next.

For all the hard work of the staff and young children, the Nechells Play Centre recently won a Recognition Award for their Contribution to the GEML Project.

Thanks to these budding entrepreneurs this site is certainly thriving and just goes to show that even in the most urban of settings, with a bit of help and a lot of tenacity, growing your own food is possible.