Spaces to Grow

24.06.2009, Birmingham

A conference focusing on how to capitalise on the benefits of growing food in public green spaces.

Booking information

Post: Complete and return the conference booking form.
Fax: Complete and fax the conference booking form to 0118 946 9061.
Telephone: Call the events team on 0118 946 9066 to book your place, or to make a provisional booking.
Online: Complete the online booking form here

Programme

0900: Coffee and registration

0945: Chair’s introduction and welcome

1000: Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens
Jeremy Iles, Director, Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens (FCFCG)
Jeremy Iles will explore the growing demand for allotments and community land for food growing, from community gardens to city farms and school projects. He will provide an insight into current trends in growing and look at how FCFCG works on projects, providing advice on how to run successful food growing initiatives.

1030: Funding food growing
Mark Wheddon, Programme Manager, Local Food
The Local Food programme has seen a huge response since it opened in 2008; new applications are being suspended later this summer due to high demand. Mark Wheddon will discuss the scheme, offering advice on applying before the deadline and looking at the projects funded by the scheme so far.

1055: Q&A

1105: Coffee

1130: Working in partnership to provide growing opportunities
Ryan Tracey, New East Manchester
Manchester’s first community orchard has recently opened thanks to the work of a partnership between several organisations, including the City Council and a local community group. Ryan Tracey will explore the benefits of community orchards, and examine how working in partnership allowed the project to thrive, offering delegates advice on how to adopt a similar approach in their own green spaces.

1155: Engaging diverse communities through growing food
Eddie Campbell, Allotments Liaison Officer, Birmingham CC
Eddie Campbell will explore how to engage communities and BME allotment holders through food growing projects. He will discuss his ‘changing taste of food’ scheme, which celebrates the diverse cultural heritage of allotment holders in Birmingham by exploring their traditional cuisine using locally-grown ingredients.

1220: Q&A

1230: Lunch

1330: Afternoon session. Delegates choose to attend a workshop or site tour:

Workshop 1: Working with community groups
Katie Jones, Development Worker, FCFCG
Katie Jones will lead a workshop exploring how to engage with groups involved in a variety of different food growing projects. She will provide delegates with practical advice on the challenges and opportunities of working with volunteers, and offer advice on how to do so successfully in a range of contexts.

Workshop 2: Details will be announced soon

Workshop 3: Details will be announced soon

Site Tour 1: CSV Environment allotment projects
This tour will showcase projects run by CSV Environment at Bordesley Green allotments. These include Concrete to Coriander, a scheme that promotes gardening to Asian women and other under-represented groups, and Growing Gains, which offers schoolchildren of all ages the opportunity to learn more about eating and growing fruit and vegetables.

Site Tour 2: Cotteridge Park Community Orchard
Delegates will have the chance to visit a once-derelict area of land that was bought by the community and has been transformed into an area for fruit growing, with an outdoor classroom for local school children and community groups to learn about gardening.

Site Tour 3: Metamorphosis at Martineau Gardens
This tour will explore work being undertaken at a local garden which aims to provide opportunities for local people to learn about food growing, sustainability and therapeutic horticulture.

1500: Coffee

1530: Panel discussion

1600: Summary and close

Who should attend?

Spaces to Grow will be of interest to park managers, heads of service, allotment officers, policy makers, councillors, community groups, landscape architects, and all other public, private and voluntary sector professionals who are currently working with, or have an interest in, public green space and food growing.

Cost

Attendance is £180.00 for IPGS and GreenSpace members and £230.00 for non-members (prices include VAT). A limited number of subsidised places, priced at £90.00, are available to registered GreenSpace Community Network members and those in full-time education.

Hotels and accommodation

Accommodation is not included in the delegate rate. Details of a range of nearby hotels are available from the events team.

Exhibition and sponsorship

A range of cost-effective exhibition and sponsorship packages are available at this event. For more information please call Jessica Reid on 0118 946 9068 email jessicar@green-space.org.uk