October update

The Urban Growing Working Group met in September and discussed progress on the Action Plans including:  

• Conduct mapping of private and public land within Bristol and West Of England Combined Authority (WECA) to identify suitable growing land: mapping has been carried out of private and public land showing the ‘Hope Spots’ of the best growing land within Bristol and WECA. There was some unexpected funding to carry out this work, but this was very short-term funding. There was a Land Matching event in April 2023. 

• Bristol Food Producers has created a website page in June 2023 to help identify non-Bristol City Council-owned land. There is a form for people to submit and a list of currently available land that will require updating.  

• Bristol City Council to launch the Allotment Strategy and the Parks & Green Spaces Strategy for consultation: once this is agreed, mapped information about tenancies and licenses, including immediacy of access and appropriateness of use, will be kept up to date and made visible.

• Bristol Food Producers and Bristol Food Network are maintaining strong links with local MPs on relevant national policy (for example, feeding into the House of Lords Horticulture Committee consultation and attending the House of Lords in June 2023.) 

• Bristol Food Producers is continuing to support organisations lobbying for national-level agroecological farming policy by continuing to engage with Sustain’s Fringe Farming project.  

• Lockleaze Neighbourhood Trust (LNT) is developing a map of growing projects around the area to facilitate residents to get into growing. Community engagement is ongoing. Planning is in progress for running growing sessions for multiple age groups, teaching nature-friendly techniques that can be replicated in people’s gardens. 

• Lockleaze Neighbourhood Trust is also running growing sessions for multiple age groups, teaching nature-friendly techniques that can be replicated in people’s gardens. LNT is currently supporting a community gardening group and making a detailed, seasonal plan for three community growing spaces and are a collection point for residents to donate their apples for the Bristol cider project. Community feasts have been delivered (350+ residents attended). Nearly one ton of food waste saved, and recipes shared. Read an update from LNT on the Bristol Good Food 2030 blog.

• Avon Wildlife Trust’s home gardening competition with the theme of Urban Good Growing had a successful engagement with 123 entries. Team Wilder (Avon Wildlife Trust) has collected stories and actions across Avon – although many people have noted their lack of chemical use, no one specifically ticked the chemical-free pledge making it harder to gather data.