Island Life Magazine Ltd February/March 2017 | Page 72
Country life
Countryside news
By Tony Ridd
Green shoots of food revolution
Barton Green is a small patch of
land, easily missed if you’re busy
doing laps of Coppins Bridge, but
next time you’re stuck at the lights
twiddling your thumbs you might
notice some lush vegetation.
The Church on the Roundabout, is a
distribution centre for Foodbank and are
now leaseholders of the green. Tom Murphy
a volunteer at the Foodbank is qualified in
permaculture and came up with the idea
of supplementing the Foodbank with fresh
produce grown right next to the church.
“Now, as well as making Barton Green
look nice for the public, we are also able to
provide a sustainable supply of fresh and
healthy food for the local community and
Foodbank clients.”
Since the first stubborn tangles of bindweed
were pulled in June last year, there has
already been a full bed of juicy raspberries,
salty sea beet and robust Swiss chard. The
emphasis this winter has been getting areas
cleared and mulched in preparation for fruit
tree planting and many more perennial food
crops for this Spring.
Tom has overseen the planting and care
of the land using permaculture principles
and is keen for the spirit of this project to
grow using the skills and imagination of
anyone interested. It is built respectfully on
community and communication - you don’t
have to be green fingered to get involved.
The vision is to see areas of public land
all over the Island being used to grow
fresh, healthy food for the local community
whilst also benefitting the wildlife through
naturalistic friendly planting. If you have
ideas, want to get involved at Barton Green,
or would like to find out what you might be
able to do in an area near you contact Tom
Murphy via email; [email protected]
or visit the Coppins Community Food Forest
page on Facebook.
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www.visitilife.com
Celebrating improved access
to Chillerton Down
The Ramblers Donate a Gate
scheme continues to be very popular
with some 157 gates already
provided. Residents of Chillerton and
Gatcombe celebrated the installation
of four Ramblers gates with a walk
across Chillerton Down.
The gates have made the route
far more accessible to walkers
and this was shown by the variety
of ages of the participants. 37
people, ranging from 13 months to
83 years old, completed the walk
along with 10 dogs. Chillerton and
Gatcombe Parish Council funded
two of the gates and two were
funded by local residents.
Cllr Gillian Belben, Chairman of
the Parish Council said ‘These gates
will make a big difference to the
community, both young and old.
Our thanks go to the two donors, Jill
Luscombe and Sally Cardew. www.
iwramblers.com