News Item

Taking Root project is shortlisted for major award

We are an Echo Environment Awards 2018 finalist

We are excited to announce that Taking Root in Bootle has been selected as a finalist in the Environmental and Health Project Award category of the Echo Environment Awards 2018.

In 2017, supported by Awards for All and Well Sefton, we set out to test how interested our volunteers were in adding training to their community gardening time, so we designed a project to teach horticultural skills, and to support local people working together to maintain successful community gardens.

Working with local partners our Taking Root Co-ordinator and horticultural expert, Christine Leung of social enterprise Lotus Brook, supported participants to design and establish community gardens, growing fruit and vegetables, whilst collecting and recording their learning experiences in their workbooks.

26 volunteers aged 10 to 66 took part in our project, all eager to expand their knowledge. 18 volunteers successfully achieved the Open Awards entry level 2 horticulture accreditation, and are now keen to progress their horticulture education.

Community gardening improves the environment and promotes healthy eating. More than this though, connecting communities creates opportunities to make new friends, reducing isolation, increasing confidence and promoting positive mental health, whilst being active also improves wellbeing.

It’s great news that we have been shortlisted as a finalist for an Echo Environment Award 2018. Everyone in the team – Christine, our volunteers and our partners – worked hard together to make sure this was a fun and successful learning experience for all. It was a really rewarding experience and it’s fabulous that this has been recognised.