Supported by the National Lottery Community Fund, Growing Community is a project that places food at the very heart of everything we do. In this way, we have a positive impact on many vital areas in society; health and wellbeing, economic and environmental development, education, culture – even creativity.

For well over a decade, Healthy Living Centre Dartford has helped nurture healthier, happier people and communities, by helping to grow their confidence and skills in a safe and open environment.

Our aim is to develop a thriving community farm that provides opportunities for healthy physical activity, fresh learning and skills, that opens the door to volunteering and employment opportunities and builds a strong food network across the borough. We will achieve this by utilising community spaces, unused and unloved public areas  –  and even private gardens.

All places ripe for creative and productive use. Where we can grow fresh fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers, deliver inspiring cookery programmes, promote recycling and waste reduction, and offer training for a career in the food industry.

Connect

We will bring people together – local residents, community groups, schools etc. People with green fingers and those who’d like to learn, uniting them around a common goal: to grow fresh produce in unexpected spaces. Food will also help us to connect communities by exploring differing cultural attitudes to flavours and dishes through social gatherings and workshops.

Nourish

For many people, our first experiences of feeling loved and cared for are associated with food. Besides physical nourishment, our mental health and wellbeing is enhanced by growing and caring for our own food. Basic gardening is shown to reduce stress, improve mental health through increased social interaction and provide restorative effects on mental function.

Nurture

“To care for and protect people and places while they grow”. Growing community nurtures people, places, plants and the environment through education, healthy activity, social inclusion, cooking and eating together.

Flourish

By facilitating all of the above, our communities will grow together, sharing and strengthening their skills and understanding, becoming more resilient and more connected and helping to create the spaces and opportunities we all need to thrive and to prosper.