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In partnership with a local community church we are in the initial stages of setting up a community allotment for the specific use of men and women who have experienced, or are experiencing, homelessness and/or prostitution. It is hoped that by providing the opportunity to explore the creativity and structure of an occupation such as gardening, in the context of an established community, individuals will grow in their identity and self-esteem, as well as learning new skills and occupying their time in a meaningful manner.
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At Barnabus we work with many individuals who for a number of reasons are unable, or unwilling, to find full time employment. For these individuals life can often become a cycle of unstructured and uninspiring days spent in drop-in centres or walking the streets finding the next location where they can get a free cup of tea, a drink or, for some, their next drugs hits. We believe that every individual was born with innate creativity and purpose, and where possible we try to facilitate projects that will see this inner potential nurtured and released. We want to see this 'boredom' cycle broken down and projects established that can bring constructive routine that will be beneficial to people whose lives have for too long been chaotic in nature. The allotment project is one such initiative that we believe has the capacity to have an enormous impact on the lives of those with whom we work. As individuals engage with the work our hope is that they will discover more about themselves, and that they will learn as a part of a community to work alongside others to grow plants and food items that will then benefit not just themselves, but the community around them. We are working in partnership with a local Manchester church who have contributed a plot of land and willing volunteers to staff the project. Initially we are planning to open the allotment to users at set times to establish a good routine and allow high staffing levels which in turn will help to ensure the safe use of the allotment and a good level of one to one interaction with those in attendence. In time we would aim to identify individuals who have grown in their leadership capacity and personal responsibility and develop a timetable that would allow them additional access and resonsibility within the context of the allotment. Financially we are looking for ongoing support to provide the tools and materials needed to see this project developed this includes primarily but not exclusively: Initial tool kit £500 Fencing £2000 Other materials £300 Seeds/Plants £200 Further details are available on request.