In November 2021, the UK hosted the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow. The UK Government’s Together for Our Planet initiative was created to engage people with COP26 and inspire positive climate action. National Lottery funding was designed to help communities to take action on climate change.
Due to the Corona virus pandemic and people become understandably concerned about food security. Many become interested for the first time in ‘growing their own’ as sales of vegetable seeds online have soared and even poultry keeping has reportedly increased. Sol Haven is ideally placed to offer support/inspiration and education to those who seek a little more self-reliance.
Through this project we will be able to reach out to the most vulnerable and needy families by providing a monthly permaculture/sustainable Café and a community forest garden with wild life pond.
The forest garden and pond is being built as a community project which has positive benefits in bring the people together and the social cohesion in the local community.
A forest garden works with nature to grow edible crops, once established its low-maintenance – you’re working with nature, not against her; delivering nutrient-rich, diverse food that promotes good health; is excellent for wildlife, creating a variety of habitats and attracting beneficial insects; is attractive, and provides great space for play, education and relaxation.
Bringing vulnerable members of the community to farms is a way to tackle
loneliness and social isolation and help people with their mental health, whilst
sharing the benefits of the natural environment for the local community. By building a forest garden as a community it celebrates the importance of community-led climate action and encourages more people to get involved. The cafe taps in to the growing trend of growing your own and will look at other issues of sustainability , such as reducing waste . There will be experienced volunteers on hand who will be on hand to teach essential skills to people to be able to reduce waste and develop ideas .