Foodies across the Black Country are being offered the chance to stock up on affordable, fresh fruit and vegetables – thanks to the launch of a major new produce scheme.
Community business, Ideal for All in Sandwell, is relaunching its Bag Your Share project next month (17 MAY) as part of celebrations to mark Community Business Weekend, a national open doors event from Power to Change that runs from May 16th to 19th and encourages communities to learn more about the benefits of their local community business and how they can get involved.
They’ll invite people to come along and taste their local goods, see where they are grown and find out how the ‘Bag Your Share’ scheme supports the not-for-profit organisations work, which includes therapeutic gardening, food growing, healthy cookery programmes, creative workshops, vocational and volunteering at sites in the region.
The community business recently expanded itscommunity gardens with the help of a £215,000 grant from independent trust, Power to Change,. Staff and volunteers there are keen to find new ways to help people learn about, cultivate and eat well using good quality food, grown locally.
As part of l Community Business Weekend they’ll be inviting the public to come and see the new accessible community garden provision, sample freshly prepared produce, meet the team and sign up for the Bag Your Share scheme.
The Barlow Road gardens will be open from 1400 – 1630 on Friday 17 May with lots to eat, see and do for adults and children.
As project leader, Emelye Westwood explains: “It’s all about people helping people. Everyone deserves good food at a price they can afford – and that’s one of the things we’re passionate about – Food Power.
Food really does have the power to bring about real community change. It’s at the centre of everything we do – coming together, growing, harvesting, cooking and sharing!
“We’re really looking forward to seeing some familiar and hopefully new faces as part of the community business weekend celebrations.”
Community Business Weekend is being held 16th – 19th May. The national open doors event is being run by independent trust Power to Change and aims to shine a light on how community businesses across the country are helping to tackle some of society’s biggest problems.
In 2018 more than 17,000 people visited 225 community businesses over the course of the event. Many of these visitors are now volunteers, regular customers and even shareholders of those businesses.
Speaking about the 2019 Community Business Weekend, Power to Change CEO Vidhya Alakeson said: “The beauty of community business is that anyone can get involved, from setting one up, to becoming a shareholder, trustee, volunteer, employee or valued customer. One of our core priorities at Power to Change is to help communities to harness the skills, leadership and entrepreneurialism that already exist at the local level. Community Business Weekend is a great way to both celebrate and uncover the skills that can bring vibrancy and economic growth to local areas.”
For more information, visit: www.communitybusinessweekend.org and www.idealforall.co.uk and Sandwell’s Food Power Alliance.
