Helping communities grow food

Sustain is finding ways to support community food growers to continue to grow during the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic.

Food growing gardens are vital in this time – offering opportunities for beneficial food growing, physical exercise, mental health, connection with nature and a sense of hope.

Read our blog on why food growing during a pandemic is critical

People growing and organising food growing, and the spaces where food is grown – need support, advice and protection. Some members of our networks also support larger-scale horticultural food production for sale and distribution, which support healthy food supply and local jobs. We also want to support these larger enterprise-based food growing initiatives to survive and thrive, as well as support gardens who have told us they want to increase their production.

What gardens told us

During March 2020, we asked community gardening leaders and food growers what their response has been and how we can support them. We received over 100 responses and as a result sof the feedback have also set up Community Harvest to help gardens grow to donate. Read our findings, or find out more about Community Harvest. 

Further information

We are collecting stories and sharing guidance via our national Good to Grow network and through our London Capital Growth network.
 

Good to Grow Coronavirus update

Capital Growth Coronavirus update