A BRIGHTER Communities funding grant from Power NI is enabling West Belfast’s Foodstock to plan and develop a ‘grow your own’ food produce facility located in the patio area behind its Andersonstown Road base.
The community response team which manages a comprehensive food bank as well as a pre-loved school uniform outlet and a planned Christmas Toy appeal resource, has secured a £1,000 Brighter Communities funding grant from leading energy company Power NI.
Foodstock manager Paul Doherty explained how the team is using their Brighter Communities award to grow ingredients for local families.
“We’re going to create a large planting bed at the back entrance to our facility and working with a range of community and youth groups we plan to grow a variety of vegetables, herbs and fruit which will help provide food ingredients to feed local families and individuals and in turn inspire them to grow their own at home or in a local allotment," he said.
“It’s a concept we’ve already experimented with through our Giving Gardens campaign during pandemic lockdown periods, when volunteers turned over part of their gardens to grow food stuffs which was distributed back into the community to people in real need.
“In addition to cash funding Power NI provided us with grow boxes which we are donating to youth organisations and other groups to encourage them to think about and develop sustainable ways of producing food products now and in the future. By using home or locally grown ingredients local people will also be able to cook-up nourishing and tasty meals for themselves, their families and friends.”
Congratulating Foodstock on their Brighter Communities award, Ashleigh O’Neill from Power NI said: “Sustainability is at the core of all that we do as we seek to be ‘green’ leaders and have demonstrated our commitment to a more sustainable future by signing up to Business in the Community’s Climate Action Pledge for Northern Ireland.
"We also encourage our customers to choose to be powered by Green Energy and are proud to be able to offer locally generated renewable electricity with zero carbon emissions.
“As well as providing invaluable groceries and other every day foods via their foodbank, Foodstock is rolling out educational and sustainable models and programmes to inspire local people, youth and community groups and plan for the future.”
Power NI first introduced the Brighter Communities initiative back in April 2018. Since then it has supported a huge range of bespoke groups and clubs from wheelchair basketball, beekeepers, vintage cyclists and young cheerleaders to street soccer, dragon racers, Early Years, environmental and stroke recovery groups.
