Learn how social value funding from our charity nomination fund is supporting Communigrow, a Kent‑based charity empowering young people through nature and food education.
As part of our social value mission, we work closely with our supplier, npower Business Solutions (nbs), who fund various initiatives open to local authorities within the LASER customer base. One of those was a charity nomination fund, where our customers could nominate a charity of their choice to receive a donation.
Our customer, tmactive, nominated Communigrow, a fantastic sustainable food education charity based in East Malling, Kent.
Communigrow is a sustainable food education charity based in Kent.
They have a (2.4 acre) Community Garden in East Malling, where they teach people how to grow chemical-free food, using the therapeutic benefits of gardening to bring about positive change to physical and mental wellbeing
Communigrow beneficiaries include children and young people with special education needs and disabilities, local schools, toddlers and preschoolers, people from under-resourced communities, young carers, vulnerable adults, older adults experiencing social isolation, veterans and emergency services workers, people with health conditions and people experiencing bereavement.
Communigrow received a donation of £657.89 as part of the charity nomination fund. The charity have chosen to use this funding to buy gardening tools and tool storage solutions for their Field School.
The Field School is a relaxed outdoor setting where children and young people can be themselves through combining Communigrow’s educational and therapeutic work. Through practical learning and nature-based activities, they help learners grow in confidence and enjoy the benefits that come with spending time in nature.
With experienced tutors on hand and prioritising an inclusive atmosphere, all attendees including those with neurodiversity or complex needs, find a sense of belonging at Communigrow and can feel empowered and comfortable.
On Wednesday, 1st April, Kathleen Reid and Maxine Kerley, our social value team, visited Communigrow for a tour and to find out more about how nBS donation has helped the charity.
Here’s how the visit went:
“What a gem in the community, as soon as we arrived, we were excited to find out more and explore Communigrow. We didn’t know it was there, so it’s amazing that the social value initiatives put places like this into focus, and we can learn about them.
Greeted by Tamsin and Jane and a hot brew, we were ready to embark on our tour. Given how the weather has been lately, we were lucky to have a fresh, but sunshine-filled morning (although it may not look quite that way in the photos).
Their staff hut is powered by solar panels on the roof – perfect for charging up the kettles for tea. We explored the beautiful gardens, one of which is a show garden. The show garden is to show adults what can be done within their own gardens and how they can take a space and make it more usable and beneficial to the environment. Great for people who are moving into “new build” properties that are currently under construction and what they could make of their garden spaces. There is a lot of new builds happening, which are out of communities control, and this is a nice way of turning what can be seen as a negative into a positive – helping new homeowners flourish their garden spaces to help keep nature nurtured.
Tamsin and Jane told us about the groups that come to Communigrow, ranging from SEN schools, wellbeing, adults with mental, neurological, physical health challenges, dealing with bereavement and older adults for social interaction.
The whole space is beautiful and lovingly maintained by Gavin the head gardener and a passionate group of volunteers. We met Logan, who has been named Kent’s Youngest Gardener of the Year.
The wildflower gardens have recently been sown with new seeds, so we’re looking forward to a revisit to see this in bloom. The vegetable patch is filled with glorious produce – rhubarb, tomatoes, lettuce, artichokes and leeks.
Our tour ended around the ‘Pond Project’, a fabulous space used for pond dipping, which the school groups particularly enjoy, and given the visits recently from the local geese and ducks, diving in and spoiling some potential frog guests, the children have created some lovely bunting to warn them off.
It was also fantastic to hear about the open days the charity hosts, where adults and families can come along and take part in several activities from digging, planting, composting and bug hunting.
Thank you very much to Communigrow for our tour and for showcasing the incredible work you do.”
“Communigrow is delighted to receive this generous donation from LASER via TM Active to help fund tools and tool storage for the children and young people who visit us. Getting young people active outdoors, engaged in growing and cooking food and boosting their mental and physical wellbeing is a crucial part of what we do at our charity. This donation will go a long way to support this aim. Thank you!”
Tamsin, Community Engagement Manager, Communigrow
There are lots of upcoming events at Communigrow, including Carbon Literacy Training for Businesses. This fully accredited course gives business owners the tools to tackle their own carbon footprint, to ‘Get, Set, Grow Family Workshops’, a great way for families to spend the day outdoors planting, digging, bug hunting and composting.
Visit the Communigrow website to find out more.
Learn how social value funding from our charity nomination fund is supporting Communigrow, a Kent‑based charity empowering young people through nature and food education.
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