Our community growing work brings people together through food, nature and shared learning. Across our growing spaces, we grow local fruit and vegetables using regenerative methods that work with nature. We are also working towards organic certification, supporting healthier growing practices and healthier diets.
By improving soil health, supporting biodiversity, and creating welcoming growing spaces, we are helping people, plants, and wildlife thrive together.
The produce grown through our community growing projects is used in our cooking sessions and shared through our network of Eco Shops. This helps more people access fresh, healthy, and affordable food, while supporting a more local and sustainable food system.
Growing food locally also gives people the chance to learn where food comes from, how it is grown, and how small changes can support healthier people and a healthier environment.
But community growing is about much more than what we harvest. It gives people the chance to learn practical growing skills, build confidence, and spend time outdoors in a supportive environment.
Our growing spaces also create opportunities for volunteering, socialising and meeting new people, helping people connect with people and planet.
Communities Growing Together, funded by The National Lottery Community Fund, is
one of the projects that supports our wider community growing work.
Based around Sandy Flatts Community Allotment and working closely with All Year Round – The Flower Patch, the project helps people grow food using sustainable and regenerative methods. This supports food security, environmental awareness, and community wellbeing, while helping people build confidence, reduce isolation and connect with others.
We run regular volunteering sessions, training workshops, and community gatherings, so there are lots of opportunities to get involved.
Our polytunnels are designed for year-round growing and have been developed to be inclusive and accessible.
They are wheelchair friendly and include standing beds for people with limited mobility. This helps more people take part in growing, whatever their physical ability or experience.
The polytunnels are also used to explore different ways of growing food when people have limited access to green space. This includes vertical growing for balconies and courtyards, as well as windowsill growing for homes without gardens.
Our community orchard is maintained by a dedicated volunteer group called Apple A Day.
The orchard is home to 64 varieties of apples, 12 varieties of pears and 14 varieties of plums. The fruit is harvested for cooking, eating and pressing, and is also shared through our Eco Shops.
The orchard supports local food growing, biodiversity and volunteering, while helping to protect a rich variety of fruit trees for the future.
Want to take part?
Whether you want to learn how to grow food, volunteer outdoors, meet new people, or support local food growing, there are lots of ways to get involved.
Email: info@nineyards.org.uk
Phone: 01642 579820
