Baby and Allotment Group

 
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Baby and Allotment Group
by Stephen Burns - Friday, 10 November 2017, 3:34 PM
 

Hi Everyone,

I am a Community Worker in East Renfrewshire, part of my role is to increase the number of baby and toddler groups within a specific area.

I am looking to find out if anyone is working with or is aware of any baby and toddler style groups with use outdoor space to grow or an allotment?

Any support or information would be very grateful.

Thanks

Stephen

Picture of Liz Allardice
Re: Baby and Allotment Group
by Liz Allardice - Tuesday, 14 November 2017, 10:18 AM
 
Hi Stephen
I contacted Kate Treharne

Community Allotments Officer,Dundee City Council ,tel: 01382 432736

email: kate.treharne@dundeecity.gov.uk

She sent the following message........

MAXwell Centre and our Ardler garden do nursery groups but not specifically baby/toddler as far as I know. Suggested contact, the Federation of City farms and Community Gardens (FCFCG) to put a question out to their networks. Sounds like a great idea!

E-mail details from Kate.

Hope this helps.
Thanks Liz







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Re: Baby and Allotment Group
by Stephen Burns - Tuesday, 14 November 2017, 9:12 PM
 

This has been a great help.

Thank you Liz.

Stephen

Picture of Liz Allardice
Re: Baby and Allotment Group
by Liz Allardice - Thursday, 16 November 2017, 10:56 AM
 
Hello Stephen
Please see below for information from a colleague who also works in Dundee.

Hi Liz,

At St Mary's Community we aim to join up our community activities and make them as inclusive as possible. Our toddler group does not have growing space on site but we have a community garden adjacent.

Our toddler group has a weekly attendance of between 15 and 20 people. Throughout the year, we encourage outdoor play as much as possible and plant seeds in homemade pots to be nurtured at home. Then in spring we take families to the community garden which is only a few minutes walk away.

We plant out our seedlings, dig, water and weed.  We have art projects to make signs and decorations for the garden.

The children love to harvest their own crops and generally the peas don't make it home! We are always on hand to give out recipes and advice on what to do with the crops.


To make sure all this goes smoothly we have invested in kids gardening gloves, trowels, watering cans etc and most of our raised beds are low enough for children to reach. We try not to be too precious about the look of the garden and have a space where kids can just dig and water to their hearts content.

Spring to summer is a long time for toddlers so planting rapid growing crops or just cress on a window sill helps hold their interest.

Their favourite thing apart from eating peas seems to be filling buckets with water from the water butt!

We have kids who have moved on to school but who still come into the garden to help out when they can.

Even the most hesitant adults can't help but get swept up in the kids enthusiasm.  


I hope this helps and please feel free to contact me on 07956619201.


Regards,


Clare Martin

St Mary's Community Engagement Worker

The Rank Foundation



Picture of Stephen Burns
Re: Baby and Allotment Group
by Stephen Burns - Friday, 17 November 2017, 11:11 AM
 
Thanks again Liz and please pass my thanks onto Clare.
Picture of Alan Fraser
Re: Baby and Allotment Group
by Alan Fraser - Friday, 17 November 2017, 10:11 AM
 

Hi Stephen

I have attached some resources that may be of use. They are not all for activities with babies but are all for younger children. Good luck with this you should have fun. I  have a lot more of this type of stuff but there is not the capacity to post here. If you email me

alan.fraser@dundeecity.gov.uk

I will email them to you.