Roots help Venturers Academy in Hartcliffe turn their growing area around

Venturer’s Academy reached out to us asking for some help to turn around their growing area that had become overgrown with weeds and needed some TLC. Here at Roots, we believe It’s so important to support communities outside of Roots locations and spread the magic of growing to those who need it!

That’s why we set up our Good Vibes Projects, to provide guidance, help and garden space support. Growing has not been officially on our school's curriculums since 1945 so we jump at the chance to help a school in need.

Over a day we managed to turn around all of their raised beds, with a thorough weeding, compost top up and planted fresh plug plants for the kids and young adults to enjoy over the coming months and into the tail end of the growing season.

We planted, peas, climbing beans, courgette, squash, strawberries, raspberries and tomatoes and set up sensory area with a sale surrounded by wooden barrels that were planted full of great smelling and edible herbs. It was fantastic to have the children join us for some of the day and we felt just how passionate they were about getting this growing area back up and running so they could feel the benefits of interacting with nature and tasting their own grown food!

After a long day of hard graft from the Roots HQ team we were able to take a step back and check out the amazing transformation we had created for the school. It’s so lush that our small team are able to get out there and create a wider impact outside of our growing communities.

It was amazing to be invited back the following week for a super special day where Venturer’s Academy had been nominated as one of the top 10 schools in the world for overcoming diversity! Their headteacher Tristan was amazing at talking about the children's successes and how they set the kids up for success after mainstream education didn’t work for them.

VOTE FOR VENTURERS TO WIN HERE BY CLICKING HERE.

There was amazing singing, dancing and some incredible baked treats provided by the sixth form students. We gave a tour of the growing space to governors, councillors and even well-known actress Nimmy Marsh.

We had some heart warming feedback from the sixth form students on their new growing space and will continue to provide support over the growing season and into next year to make sure they have bountiful harvests! Over the next few years we hope to help towards Venturers Academy’s vision to turn space into a functioning kitchen garden to accompany a kitchen where their children and young adults can continue their training. This would help more of their students get into paid work in the local community as well as give them a safe space to learn, be creative and be inspired!