We will be updating this page to bring you the latest progress on the 'Get Growing' project with Step Together Volunteering, supported by Cadbury Garden Centre.

Getting started - photos

Step Together went shopping at Cadbury Garden Centre for their 'Get Growing' project..

The raised beds are coming along nicely!

The Team at Step Together have been working hard on their allotment and as you can see, it's really coming together!

Watch this space for more updates on how the garden progresses...

Completing the project

The Step Together Community garden is now complete with the support and guidance from our Cadbury centre.

Mel Head - Project Manager and Get Growing Allotment Lead said:

"Winning the competition has been transformational for the Step Together “Get Growing” young people’s allotment. It has allowed us access to equipment and plants, that as a small charity,  we would not have been able to have afford. This has made growing fruit, vegetables and plants easier and more productive. In turn, this allows the young people to experience different fruit/veg/plants than they are used to and to learn new skills. Going forward, it will make the site much easier to manage ,allowing us to spend more time doing the thing we love – growing!

Our clients have benefitted in a number of ways. Due to the varied donations from Cadbury, the young people have had the chance to try a wide range of fruit and vegetable and to experiment with new ways of growing and cooking them. The group regularly take produce home they have grown, and it is allowing us to explore healthy eating and healthy lifestyles. This includes the positive impact that being out in nature can have on mental health and we are seeing this in several of our clients.

Having a wider range of plants has also allowed our site to become more bio-diverse and this is something we talk about with the young people on a regular basis.

The group have been able to learn new skills as they learn about a variety of new plants and how to look after them. They can also now use the new tools. An example of this would be the building of the greenhouse. We did it as a team building exercise, led by one of the young people. This was a major achievement for him as he is very socially anxious and struggles to communicate, yet was able to direct us perfectly and communicate the necessary steps to building the greenhouse.

Meeting the Team from Cadbury has also been important as not only does it encourage our clients to engage with new people, but it has helped them to feel that they are worth investing in. Just this morning, I received a message from one of the groups, asking if you had been to visit and what you thought of the work they had done. The involvement from Cadbury has helped them to feel pride in their volunteering work.

I think the raised beds, compost, strimmer and greenhouse have probably been the most beneficial. As you saw on Thursday, our clay soil is really hard to work with – bone dry and cracked in the summer, like a bog in winter. Now that we have the raised beds and compost to fill them, we are able to grow much more successfully and it is helping to repair the soil to at the same time. We have been able to plant out earlier and still grow even during the heatwaves. Likewise, the greenhouse and cold frames have allowed us to start growing seeds earlier in the year and to protect them from the weather and slugs/snails. This has meant that we have been able to plant out healthier, stronger plants which are more likely to grow. Having the strimmer means we can keep on top of the grass, which makes the site easier to manage and safer for everyone."

Anna-Clare, the Chief Executive from the group has also written Blue Diamond a wonderful thank you letter:

"I wanted to write personally to thank you for the incredible support you have shown to our Get Growing Young People’s Allotment Project in South Bristol. As you know, the project supports some of our most vulnerable young clients, providing a safe a nurturing environment in which they can build their confidence and self-belief while developing new personal and practical skills.

Our Get Growing project started in lockdown, in response to needing a safe place to meet with young people that met the restrictions in force. Since then, and thanks in no small part to our dedicated frontline team, it has grown to become the fantastic resource it is today. However, like many small charities, we face significant challenges in securing the funding we need to deliver our services. This is where the support we have received from the Blue Diamond Community Garden scheme has been transformational. In the past we have relied heavily on second hand items and things that have been given to us. Being able to choose the correct materials and plants for the site has made such a difference to our project and the activities we have been able to deliver for our young clients. You will have seen for yourselves, when you have visited the site, the difference that being able to provide a well-resourced and stocked environment makes to those who need our support. The generosity and support shown by the whole team has been nothing short of incredible and we are truly grateful.

We hope that you have enjoyed learning about our charity, the work that we do and the people that we support, and we hope that you will stay in contact with us as our work continues to grow. There are increasing numbers of young people who need our support, and our Get Growing project is now in a much stronger position to be able to offer them the help that they need."

Bethany Lewis-Manning - Supervisor Gardening & Wild Animal at Cadbury Garden Centre says:

"It was really great to see the progress they've made over the last year, and to see our donations and the Blue Diamond products doing so well! It's been a real privilege to be involved and to see Blue Diamond helping our local community."