During lockdown some of the people supported by Ansar Projects expressed an interest in growing fruit and vegetables. The team at Ansar Projects wanted to help the people they supported to fulfil their goals and set about looking for a suitable place.
After unsuccessfully searching for an allotment online, the ACE team (Ansar’s Champions of Excellence) were able to come up with a plan. It was decided that the project could start in the Short Breaks house at Highgrove, Bury. The next obstacle was raising money to get the project off the ground.
People supported by Ansar Projects took part in a Wellie Workout Walk. The fundraiser saw people supported by Ansar Projects walk virtually from Bury in Greater Manchester around the country, visiting each Thera Company along the way. It meant walking a total of 1200 miles in 10 weeks.
The Wellie Workout Walk took place between the 11 October and 19t December 2021 and raised over £400 for the greenhouse project.
To support the fundraising money, Ansar Projects were also able to obtain grant funding from Alpkit, Finnis Scott Foundation, and the National Garden Scheme. The funding allowed the team to purchase not only the greenhouse, but also growing beds, tools, and other items for the garden.
Whilst waiting for funding for the greenhouse to come through and for the greenhouse to arrive, Lead Director Chris Harvey started growing the seeds at her house. This meant when the greenhouse arrived, the seeds were ready to go in their new home.
Now that the greenhouse is up, the people supported by Ansar Projects have been able to grow a wide variety of vegetables.