Cherishing the bees with a community food garden

Aim

Cherishers 811 will create a community food and plant garden for wildlife and local people creating a space for nature and healthy food.

Who are Cherishers 811 CIC

Cherishers provides care, companionship and communication to the vulnerable in Staffordshire as a free community service. We go into homes as carers / befrienders and teach digital skills which promotes independence, combats isolation and loneliness. 

Cherishers understands the impact of the cost of living crisis and is looking at ways to help people cope. We have a community wellbeing room and  outside space for sports therapies, we now want to create a community garden to support wildlife especially bees whilst growing food and flowers for the community.

Working locally to promote nature

Cherishers understand the importance of being with nature, as well as producing food during the cost of living crisis. We will make raised beds that are disabled access friendly for growing food and flowers to support our local environment and local bees. We will make a nature space to help with emotional wellbeing of our community  building resilience and gaining knowledge as well as providing vegetables for our lunch clubs.

Cherishers raised beds and community garden will help: Nature restoration boosting local biodiversity, creating space for nature; Nature connectedness and pro-environmental behaviours by supporting community connection to nature and pro-environmental behaviours and Community cohesion and connection fostering nature positive activity encouraging collaboration in the local community, connecting people of diverse backgrounds, generations, and abilities to support wildlife and grow food.

What we will spend the money on 

Creating 3 raised beds to grow food and flowers, the selection of plants and seeds, compost and gardening tools. Advice from a gardening export to increase plant biodiversity and provide a bee friendly space as well as efficient food pollination and growth.

This project successfully funded on 9th June 2023