Lewisham Irish Communty Allotment Project

Aim

To convert an overgrown garden space into a community allotment project which will supply vegetables and herbs for older persons lunch club

Lewisham Irish Community Centre is a vibrant local community  which offers a wide range of services and facilities to our local residents in Rushey Green and  to older and disadvantaged Irish Community within the borough of Lewisham . We work to reduce poverty sickness and distress , to reduce social isolation and enhance community participation particularly among the elderly and  disadvantaged.We offer facilities for our older isolated  community to socialise , to participate in healthy living activities and to enjoy a free /low cost lunch together .  Our advice and support services prevents and reduces homelessness and poverty through the provision of housing and welfare advice , support and advocacy . We enable service users to access their rights and support independent living by providing advice services on site , homevisits  and weekly clubs . classes and groups 

We provide a volunteer programme to encourage local community members to actively engage in their local area , this contributes to gaining new skills, making friendships and enhances sense of confidence . We provide volunteers with on-going support and supervision and support with access to  further training and employment .

We work to promote and raise awareness of Irish culture and history  through the provision of  Irish language classes  , traditional Irish music sessions , Ceili, Plays and dance.

We wish to expand our current facilities by creating access to the rear garden which is overgrown and not easily accessible . We require funding to create access to the rear garden , to design an accessible garden space , to develop a seating area for the community to use, to create an allotment which would be run by a group of local volunteers  .We need funding  for paving slabs , we need wood  to make raised beds , purchase suitable seating, we need a supply of  garden tools and plants, compost and a small storage area . While most of the clearing can be done safely by volunteers , we will need some professional assistance.

 The allotment would supply vegetables and herbs to support our  older persons lunch groups which offer free and low costs meals to our local older community . The allotment would help reduce the cost of running of lunch group which would allow for longterm sustainability  while  increasing  community participation and involvement by a group of local volunteers .

The garden space would enhance the community centre facilities for our Playgroups and Youth club . The project would have intergenerational benefits as we would encourage all groups to get involved and use the facilities.

This project successfully funded on 4th June 2017