Island Life Magazine Ltd December 2013/January 2014 | Page 44

COUNTRY LIFE

Adopt a garden this winter
Growing your own food is such fun!

The Island’s popular Adopt-A-Garden
scheme is turning over a new leaf, and
offering yet more help to those who want
to grow their own food. Thanks to funding
from the IW NHS, The Footprint Trust will
not just be finding people a free growing
space near their home, but training
people how to grow their own food and
giving free training on cooking.
Those signing up for this free scheme
will be shown how to grow and cook
their produce. Ray Harrington-Vail of the
Footprint Trust, who set up the original
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scheme back in 2005, said: “People taking
part do not need their own garden. We
can usually find them an unused garden
near their home. Gardening is a fun way
of getting fit and can be an ideal way of
encouraging people to take exercise, who
otherwise might not. Sport, gyms and
lycra are not for everyone.”
Ray added: “We intend to encourage,
families, young people, single parents and
individuals to take up gardening as a fun
and rewarding hobby.”
The training will give people, including

children, transferable life skills – as the
course will cover budgeting – showing
money saved by ‘growing your own.’
Gardening and cooking skills will also assist
those attending for the rest of their lives.
Free places are now being booked for
the course in the New Year. Spaces are
limited and readers are encouraged to
book quickly. If you or your family would
like to find out more please contact the
Adopt-A-Garden scheme by phone or
text on 01983 822282 or email don@
footprint-trust.co.uk