Help us save the site known as Walmestone Growers, an essential part of the local food system in Kent. The site has been a nursery since the 1950's and became a Market Garden in 1984, when it was purchased by John Aspinall as somewhere to grow vegetables to feed the animals at Howletts and Port Lympne animal parks. Over time the site has been managed by various parts of the Aspinall businesses, lately Aspers casino. The current owners Closed Walmestone Growers Limited in October 2023.
We are Paul and Michelle and we currently live on the Walmestone site along with our teenage children. I have worked at the site for nearly 9 years, and have been Manager of the site since 2016. I have over 20 years of experience at growing both organically and conventionally, and together with Michelle we want to secure the site so it can remain a place for growing fresh, nourishing food for local people. We supply to over 30 restaurants, caterers and markets in various areas of East Kent as well as feeding over 100 Veg Box customers. We want to continue serving all of the Kent customers who depend on this site, as well as potentially suppling the animals again.
Upon the closure of Walmestone Growers we have created our own business called East Kent Growers and have continued to serve all the previous customers as well as the box scheme created by Michelle in 2020.
We have an excellent Mortgage broker on board, working behind the scenes to secure us a mortgage to buy the site but we are very short on funds for a deposit and so that is why we are asking for help. This money will hopefully enable us to buy the site as we don't want to see it turned into houses. We believe the site has so much potential and it needs to continue to be a Market Garden for many years to come.
All money raised is to be used to help us buy the site and to continue serving all of our customers. This funder is to run alongside our share issuing and allows anyone to make a donation to our cause no matter how small or big. If you are interested in becoming a shareholder in East Kent Growers then please contact Paul or Michelle.
We both love growing and want to continue doing what we love and to hopefully save the site from potential developers as has happened to other market gardens like this one.
So please support us and let's stop another Market Garden from being built on.
Thank you for reading and feel free to contact us and ask any questions.
Paul and Michelle Vesey-Wells