Brighton and Hove gardening experts offer tips during Big Dig Week

More than 20 green-fingered groups of volunteers in Brighton and Hove are offering to help people learn how to grow their own during Big Dig Week.

The Mayor of Brighton and Hove, Councillor Bill Randall, and the Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, Caroline Lucas, will be offering their support on Saturday (16 March).

Harvest Brighton and Hove has been helping people to set up and run community gardens and food growing projects in the area over the past four years.

There are now more than 60 community gardens run by volunteers and Harvest has worked with 20 of them to try to make the first national Big Dig Week a success.

It runs from Saturday until Friday 22 March and offers a number of activities in Brighton and Hove, which is one of 27 towns and cities taking part.

Activities include sowing wild flowers, growing fruit and building vertical salad gardens. They will give people a chance to sample local produce and learn gardening skills.

Jo Glazebrook, who is co-ordinating Big Dig Week in Brighton and Hove, said: “This is a great chance for people to explore and support local growing spaces and spend a day outdoors in an inspiring setting.

Jo Glazebrook

“Community gardening is the perfect antidote to the long allotment waiting lists and it’s a great way for people to learn how to grow food and escape city living.

“Big Dig Week is jam-packed with activities in every corner of the city and we’re really excited to see how many seeds we can plant to help make Brighton and Hove the most edible place in the UK.”

Elspeth Broady, the lead volunteer at one of the local groups, the London Road Station Garden, said: “We set up a station partnership with Southern Railway to use a plot of waste land for community benefit.

“Local volunteers can grow tasty seasonal produce here and compost their kitchen waste.

“Neighbours often drop by to see what we’re doing. It’s a real community garden.

“Working with Brighton and Hove Food Partnership and being part of the Big Dig links us in to other local and national projects.

“There’s a wonderful supportive network out there for community growing.”

For more information go to www.harvest-bh.org.uk/events and www.bigdig.org.uk/brightonandhove.