Following receiving a grant from King Charles III Charitable Fund, we will continue delivering and developing our composting and planting work!
We are extremely pleased to have been successful in receiving a grant from the King Charles III Charitable Fund (KCCF) as part of the Coronation Food Project. This funding will be used to further our composting, planting, and food production work across our sites of the Sports & Community Centre, Kingstanding, and the Nature & Wellbeing Centre, Ladywood.
Founded in 1979 by King Charles III and inspired by His Majesty’s values of harmony and sustainability, King Charles III Charitable Fund is committed to helping people and communities to change the world around them, creating lasting improvements to people’s lives and a sustainable future for all.
The Coronation Food Project, established in 2023, works to tackle food waste and reduce hunger, working with organisations across the country to combat these growing issues.
At the Nature & Wellbeing Centre, Ladywood, we will be extending our existing composting work in partnership with MakeSoil by creating more bays, where members of the community are able to drop off their food waste to be turned into compost. We will also be providing at-home composting kits to local people, allowing Birmingham residents to create their own compost at home through making good use of leftover food waste.
In addition, we will be continuing and developing our food growing and planting education through our Plant with Pat sessions, teaching members of the community how to grow their own produce and planting various fruits and vegetables such as potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, and more. Produce grown will be used in our Red Shed Community Cafe as part of our homemade soup on offer, or given out to Plant with Pat attendees who helped to grow the food.
Gardening education with local children.
Produce grown onsite for homemade soup!
Plant with Pat session.
Vegetables grown onsite.
At the Sports & Community Centre, Kingstanding, we will be making use of our new Polytunnel, installed last year, and our Grow Beds, where we will be beginning food growing and planting a variety of fruits and vegetables. Produce grown onsite will be used to create community meals, and attendees will also be able to take home some of what they have grown.
Our newly established Garden & Grow group of volunteers are eager to get started on transforming our outdoor space. This team of seasoned gardeners and those who are new to gardening but want to develop their knowledge will work together to create new Grow Beds, plant various crops, and take up general outdoors maintenance.
Interested in joining Garden & Grow? Contact volunteer@bsettlement.org.uk to find out more. No experience is required, just the willingness to get stuck in!
Our Community Polytunnel ready for planting!
Fruit such as blackberries planted.
Volunteers planning what they want to grow.
Our first tomato plants!
Composting, planting, and growing are all important activities we strive to sustain and provide as part of our regular community offer – not only are they a positive for the environment and the local areas, these activities are inclusive and welcoming to people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. We look forward to keeping you updated on our progress and providing updates on this work.
To follow along, make sure to follow our social pages:
Main Instagram: @Birminghamsettlement1899
Main Facebook: Birmingham Settlement
Sports & Community Centre:
Birmingham Settlement Sports & Community Centre, 600 Kingstanding Road, B44 9SH
Instagram: @Sportsandcommunitycentre
Facebook: Birmingham Settlement Sports & Community Centre
Nature & Wellbeing Centre:
Birmingham Settlement Nature & Wellbeing Centre, Edgbaston Reservoir, 79 Selwyn Road, B16 0SL
Instagram: @Natureandwellbeingcentre
Facebook: Birmingham Settlement Nature & Wellbeing Centre