Incredible Edible Roots for Big Green Week

GREEN routes through regenerated community land are providing fresh fruit and vegetables ready to be picked by the public. 

Newly – formed Incredible Edible Loughborough meets every week to cultivate a formerly – neglected community garden on a street corner and a border outside a local neighbourhood centre. 

Incredible Edible is a nationwide network set – up to connect communities through the power of growing and produce food more sustainably. 

Loughborough branch founder Julian Rees said users of the centre’s foodbank at Fearon Hall can exit the building and pick some fresh vegetables growing by the path on their way out. 

“Incredible Edible is keen to encourage localisation of food production as well as connecting people to create a local solution to environmental concerns,” said Julian. 

“In May along with a team of volunteers we planted out this bed with squashes, courgettes and French beans hoping the plants will grow and offer food to be picked.” 

Awaiting the results of their recent assessment by It’s Your Neighbourhood, volunteers believe they’ve given a new lease of life to the community garden that wasn’t flourishing with dogs fouling the area. 

 Sole remaining member of its committee Charnwood Borough Council Lemyngton Councillor Christine Harris said it’s great to see the place reinvigorated with planting by Incredible Edible. 

“Young children can come along and learn from planting and cultivating to care for their environment as well as pick their own,” said Cllr Harris 

  Family of five, the Holmes – Berresfords, were in keen attendance this week for the first time. Mother Amy said it’s important to look after a shared space everyone can benefit from. 

“The community growing fruit and vegetables like this is putting it to really, really good use,” said Amy. 

Daughter Alba agreed and said she’s joining in with Incredible Edible for lots of food and her health. 

 “I like to look after the world for when I’m older,” said Alba as she prepared some of her pruning to add to the compost heap.