Fighting food poverty one fruit bush at a time

Friday 11 March 2022

Islanders are being invited to plant one of more than 200 fruit bushes as part of an initiative to help with wellbeing and fight food poverty.

Tomorrow (Saturday 12 March), GROW will be holding an open day between 10:00 and 15:00.

GROW Jersey, which is based at Sion, was established last year in a collaboration between Thrive Jersey, the Parish of St. Helier and The Good Jersey Life.

Their main aim is to promote wellbeing, the benefits of nutritional foods whilst also tackling major issues such as sustainability and biodiversity loss.

Pictured: Grow has already planted approximately 100 fruit tress at its 13-vergee site at Sion. 

“GROW is a wonderful initiative that seeks to tackle a number of environmental and social issues through the active planting and sustainable management of a community-centred field," said Project Leader Sheena Brockie.

"Thanks to generous funding from the Government of Jersey’s Countryside Enhancement Scheme we are able to invite members of the public to visit our project and plant one of around 220 fruit bushes, being the next phase of development in a hugely exciting vision. Our aim is to create a fully-inclusive horticultural operation where anyone can join in.”

GROW has achieved a lot in a small amount of time.

It has already planted in excess of 100 fruit trees at its 13-vergée site and, in just six months, the team have won numerous of local and national awards such as the ICCI Peter Walpole Peoples’ Choice Award.

They were also one of 21 projects awarded the Royal Horticultural Society Outstanding Award for Green Solutions throughout the United Kingdom last year.

Andy Le Selleur, Thrive Jersey Chairman, said that GROW was one of a number of initiatives ways that islanders can get involved with by helping to resolve social issues.

He added: “...despite the incredible work already being undertaken by charities and community, we want to inspire many more islanders to get involved in a co-ordinated range of initiatives to help tackle the source of our social issues.

"GROW is a great demonstration of how, through effective partnerships and a single field, we can start to tackle issues such as loneliness and isolation, nutritional deficit, food poverty and wellbeing.”

GROW are planting the fruit bushes, this Saturday 12th March 10:00 - 15:00. The tickets are free which can be obtained through Eventbrite.