Green-fingered graduate helps residents grow their own
04 August 2010
Keele geography graduate Alison Beech is now nearing the end of a seven-week stint with RENEW helping residents in Middleport to grow their own food and in the process become healthier and appreciate their environment more.
As her degree included human geography and sociology, she’s well acquainted with the way in which people often interact with their environment and how crucial this is for their general well being. But as well as giving a lot to the community, Alison says she’s gain a lot too.
“I’ve learned so much in the short time I’ve been here. I shall be very sorry to leave. I can’t believe how fast the time has gone,” said Alison who completes her placement on Saturday August 14th when the Grow Your Own scheme is launched as part of Middleport’s Master Plan.
Alison is one of a number of graduates on the Keele University ‘Project Green’ placement, all keen to gain much-needed work experience in environmental based employment. Her expertise and help in launching the big sustainability project in Middleport will however remain long after she has left RENEW and that makes her feel incredibly proud. “It’ll be so nice to be able to look back at this and say, I did that!” added Alison.
And she cites an example of how growing your own food can really transform people. “One woman who grows her own food in Middleport told me how her neighbour’s son is forever popping his head over the fence and asking for seeds! It shows how much this kind of thing ignites people. They want to get involved, children especially.
“I think it’s really good to grow some of your own food, not just because it’s cheaper – and much nicer to eat! – but because it’s a great way of getting in touch with where food actually comes from rather than just buying it from the supermarket. Something that’s especially important in cities. It makes people more informed about their food choices and gets people outside being active too.
“This is social regeneration to match the physical regeneration that RENEW is undertaking. It’s about trying to engender more community spirit and encourage people to take pride in where they live. The project contributes to achieving a number of strategies across the Stoke-on-Trent area including Stoke PCT Health strategy, Stoke-on-Trent City Council Sports and Leisure strategy and RENEW’s Housing strategy.
“The benefits are for everyone. They can learn new skills become more active and gain tremendous satisfaction from doing so. It shows them they have a choice about their health and what they eat.”
But Alison is herself also benefiting in ways she never expected. She explained: “I was very much a numbers person before I took this placement. That meant being a bit desk bound. This job has given me much more contact with people and opened my eyes to what else might be out there for me. I now realise being stuck at a desk isn’t for me after all as I’ve enjoyed the people contact so much. That’s made me more confident.”
