Since Spring 2020 Grow Your Road has given people in Birmingham and Sandwell the tools, skills, confidence and community support to get growing their own vegetables at home, most people for the very first time.

Grow Your Road has improved the health and wellbeing of people through increased time outdoors, healthier eating and engagement with growing and creative activities.

It provided an enhanced sense of community through the Grow Your Road online group, promoted sustainability and supported local freelance gardeners and creative practitioners through commissioning of online workshops.

What happened?

Over 2500 households grew their own veg using Grow Your Road kits containing seeds, pots, compost and easy grow guides. (Areas of Selly Oak, Stirchley, Cotteridge, Northfield, Frankley, Billesley).

Over 1500 schoolchildren got growing at home and in the classroom in low income and nature deprived areas of Billesley and Small Heath. The schools also received nature discovery kits which offered creative activities and mindful moments in green places.

30 online workshops were created by gardeners, forest school leaders, artists and craftspeople, supporting our local creative economy during COVID-19.

45 new community champions supported the project by volunteering their time to support and connect their community with growing.

1 derelict green space cleared, transformed and adopted by the community in B30.

Project impact (2020 & 2021)

100% of participants surveyed said their wellbeing was improved

70% spent more time in the outdoors

80% learned something new

60% got to know their neighbours more

80% helped improved the environment around them

80% were more creative than usual

Feedback

"I always thought that growing vegetables was difficult but you made it simple and fun, it was amazing to feed my baby home grown courgette as her first food. Brilliant project and it built a lovely community during a challenging time." - participant feedback

"Grow Your Road gave the opportunity for every child in our school to grow. This greatly benefitted the wellbeing of children, but particularly those disadvantaged economically, and with special education needs. We were also able to offer full growing kits to families accessing our weekly food bank. These proved very popular, as families were able to participate in windowsill, and outdoor gardening, who otherwise wouldn't have had the opportunity to plant." - teacher feedback