Roots looks to dig up new partner for Bristol market garden

Roots Allotments, a provider of shared spaces for local food production, is looking for a local community interest company (CIC) to help launch a market garden at its new growing community near Bristol.

Alongside the provision of allotment patches for local people, schools and community groups, Roots Allotments also earmarks up to two acres of its larger growing communities to be used for market gardens. These social enterprises grow a broad selection of fruit and vegetables on location, which are then sold to residents and local businesses, as well as distributed throughout the community.

A key requirement of the market garden is to donate produce to vulnerable people in the local area, providing access to nutritiously-dense food. Across its growing communities, Roots and its members have donated thousands of portions of fruit and vegetables and surplus produce to those in need.

The market garden will cover up to two acres of the growing community at Abbots Leigh, with the CIC paying just £1 per year in rent. Alongside financial support to help get the project up and running, Roots will also be on hand to provide any advice, support and guidance the CIC may need.

The Roots team is in discussions with a number of food organisations and charities in the local area to help launch the market garden, as well as accepting proposals from suitable partners.

Will Gay, one of the founders of Roots, said: “Market gardens offer a fantastic way to contribute to local food production, all while increasing access within the local community to nutritional food. We have earmarked a spot at our Bristol growing community and we’re actively on the hunt for a like-minded partner who is looking to grow their own food and support their local community.

“We have seen real success from similar initiatives at some of our other sites and we hope to replicate this within the community at Bristol. Our focus is not just on providing spaces for people to grow their own food, but increasing access to quality produce that is rich in nutrients and free from chemicals – especially for vulnerable people, where this can be incredibly challenging. We are already seeing the positive impact our growing community is having among our members and we can’t wait to grow this further within the wider community.”

The market garden initiative at Bristol follows a similar project at the company’s site in Croydon. Roots has partnered with Black Farmers Market CIC, establishing a market garden that encourages the local community to grow food and champion themselves as food producers. Black Farmers Market was set up to answer the lack of diversity in the UK horticultural space and the barriers of entry for Black and non-white aspiring growers.

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