The manager of a West Belfast foodbank has been overwhelmed by the response to plans for a new garden to grow vegetables, which can then be shared with people in the community.
Foodstock is in the process of opening a community garden at its Andersonstown Road base, which will further help supply individuals and families availing of foodbank services with fresh vegetables and with that, more healthy and nutritious meal options.
Foodstock, which also manages a pre-loved school uniform outlet, issued an appeal on social media at the weekend for soil to assist with growing or for flowers to brighten up the garden, which generated a great response.
Read more: Belfast foodbank 'under extreme pressure' as they appeal for urgent supplies
It's hoped that the community garden will be up and running in a few weeks.
Community SDLP representative Paul Doherty, who founded Foodstock in 2019, told Belfast Live : "At present, Foodstock is supporting over 400 households on a weekly basis as a result of the impact of the cost of living crisis on many people.
"When families go into a supermarket or shop now, they are sometimes put off by the increases in prices to buy this type of good food. People shouldn't be prevented from availing of healthy food.
"This initiative will ensure there's an ongoing flow of fresh vegetables going out to people who need a helping hand right now.
"Since 2020 we have been working to incorporate fresh vegetables into our food parcels through our 'Giving Gardens' community initiative.
"This involved us providing people, schools, youth centres, allotments and community gardens with grow packs and supplies of vegetable seeds so that they could 'volunteer from home, school or in their garden' and grow vegetables for the food bank.
"We would collect these, clean and package them and send them out in our food parcels. We also gave people who were using our foodbank the opportunity to grow their own by distributing grow packs across West Belfast.
"This was hugely successful, with many people now still growing their own vegetables from homes and incorporating what they grow into meals each day.
"Our aim is to roll this out within communities at a greater scale. The benefits of this are fantastic. Not only can people eat more healthily, but it is great for people's mental health to get out into the garden and get some exercise, fresh air and get involved in growing.
"It is also fantastic for families with children to get together and get involved in something positive such as this.
"Remarkably, many people who have got involved in our growing initiatives have told us that they have never set foot in their garden to grow until now, so we are excited at the prospect of bringing more people along and them getting involved."
Mr Doherty said the community garden will also allow the opportunity to bring people along and provide sessions on how to grow their own vegetables throughout the year, build planters and look after their garden.
"We have been involved in these sessions out in the community before, but now is a great opportunity for people to come to us and get involved," he explained.
"We are very lucky in having great neighbours where we are based in Andersonstown. Martine and the team at The Human Canvas Tattoo Parlour are avid growers too and have been working with us to create our garden and also give guidance to those who wish to start growing themselves.
"There is a great sense of community at our hub here in West Belfast. We have had music events and a festival to celebrate diversity in our communities in this area recently, and we can't wait to have the next get together so that people can come and see our newly built garden.
"We have already seen the benefits of building a growing community in West Belfast and we want to expand on that now and be able to give more individuals and families the opportunity to be able to grow their own food."
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