Seeds, soup and sarnies
'Plant, Grow, Cook, Share and Eat': that's what Seeds Soup and Sarnies (SS&S) is all about. This practical Big Lottery-funded project delivers family learning courses, open to all ages and abilities, in the belief that everybody has something to contribute.
In sharing old family recipes and interesting growing techniques, SS&S hopes that new bonds will be forged, and that after three growing seasons (the project runs for 33 months from September 2009), the communities will continue the project in whatever space or form suits them.
The communities
The project is being carried out in the China Clay area of Cornwall, and Middlesbrough. In Cornwall, SS&S are working in partnership with Cornwall Family Learning, Volunteer Cornwall, Cornwall Neighbourhoods for Change and ContinYou, using local connections to bring people together. In Middlesbrough the project has engaged with MIMA (Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art), Children’s Centres and local primary schools.
SS&S aims to involve 180 families (roughly 360 participants) from low-income rural and urban communities. There will be courses, day trips and celebration events to build participants' skills, confidence and positive social interactions at both a family and community level.
Sharing ideas
A ‘Seeds, Soup & Sarnies’ Facebook page has been set up to share ideas and events. At the end of the project a resource (printed and web-based) will be developed to share good practice gained from the project with other family learning centres.
Birthday event
The project celebrated its first birthday on Friday 30 July. To mark the occasion families who have been taking part in the pioneering community project and producing their own food came together to celebrate their growing successes at a tea party held at Eden. To date more than 100 people have taken part in the project.
Project Manager Camilla Baker said: "We had some great feedback at the party. Hearing everybody's growing experiences has shown us what a positive impact the project has had so far.
"One lady I had met on the programme had never grown anything in her life before and she has successfully grown beetroot, carrots and lettuce - with more still to come! A granddad told me he used to grow his own veg but that was 20 years ago and this has got him back into gardening again. We've also had two people who have gone on to get jobs after being on the project, including one dad who now works in a garden centre."
Community allotments
Over the past year, Seeds, Soups and Sarnies participants have started their own community allotments, visited local farms for ideas and even learnt how to make nettle shampoo.
Briony Chapman first got involved in Seeds, Soups and Sarnies as a volunteer at St Austell Children's Centre where she helps run an allotment.
"It was great that everybody could get together and chip in with their ideas," she said. "I've learnt a massive amount of gardening tips such as using a water butt to recycle rain water and putting the plant, fenugreek, in the soil to help with its nutrients. I think it's really benefited us as we've had really good produce this year."
More information
For more information about the Eden Project, and to follow their latest updates, please visit the links below:
