Press Release 12 Feb 2009

West London Kids Grow Their Own Grub

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Local children will be getting their hands dirty after a thriving children’s charity has secured a £90,000 grant from Local Food, a new grants programme funded by the Big Lottery Fund.

A.P.P.L.E., based in Acton, West London is the first organisation in the capital to receive funding from the £50 million Local Food Programme which will be funding food related community projects right across the country.

The ‘Grow Our Grub’ project is a new education and growing concept which will deliver food related activities to children, young people and adult volunteers. Now with the resources to maintain an allotment just a short walk from The Art Block community centre, children will have the facilities and materials needed to participate in cooking classes and growing clubs.

Vicki Barker, Project Coordinator said:

“The ‘Grow our Grub’ project is fantastic, it will allow the children, young people and their families who come to A.P.P.L.E. to get actively involved in growing food, caring for their local land, and having fun eating fresh fruit and veg. The whole journey, from seed to plate.”

Mark Wheddon, Local Food Programme Manager added:

“The Local Food programme provides a fantastic opportunity for a broad section of the public to gain access to local food and is perfectly timed to capitalise on the public’s enthusiasm for locally produced food and the environmental benefits which that brings.

“A.P.P.L.E.’s ‘Grow our Grub’ project marks just the beginning in terms of Local Food grants. With a record £50 million to distribute to various groups we will begin to see a real change in the accessibility of local food.”

Local Food has been developed by a consortium of 15 national environmental organisations, and is managed on their behalf by the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT). Supported by the Big Lottery Fund's Changing Spaces programme, Local Food will distribute grants to a variety of food related projects to make locally grown food more accessible.

-ENDS-

Editor's Notes

Local Food: Local Food has been developed by a consortium of 15 national environmental organisations, and is managed on their behalf by the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT). Supported by the Big Lottery Fund's Changing Spaces programme, Local Food will distribute grants to a variety of food related projects to make locally grown food more accessible. www.localfoodgrants.org

RSWT: The Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts is a registered charity, incorporated by Royal Charter, to promote conservation and manage environmental programmes throughout the whole of the UK. It has established management systems for holding and distributing funds totalling more than £20 million annually to environmental projects across the UK.

Changing Spaces programme: The Big Lottery Fund's Changing Spaces programme was launched in November 2005 to help communities enjoy and improve their local environments. The programme will fund a range of activities from local food schemes and farmers markets, to education projects teaching people about the environment. RSWT was appointed as a Changing Spaces award partner responsible for distributing £50million for its Local Food scheme.

The Big Lottery Fund: The Big Lottery Fund rolls out nearly £2 million in Lottery money every day. The Big Lottery Fund, the largest of the National Lottery good cause distributors, was set up in June 2004. It gives grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK.

Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 020 7211 1888 Out of hours: 07867 500 572

Public enquiries line: 08454 102030 Textphone: 08456 021 659

Full details of the work of the Big Lottery Fund, its programmes and awards are available on the website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk

For further information please contact:

Vicki Barker, Project Coordinator, A.P.P.L.E., Tel: 020 8992 9324, Email: Vicki_appleplay@btconnect.com

Kelvin DeSena, PR & Promotions Officer, Local Food, Tel: 01636 670062, Email: kdesena@rswt.org

Date: 13 February 2009 Release Date:Immediate Release

Media Release issued: by Sam Coleman, PR Assistant, Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts, The Kiln, Waterside, Mather Road, Newark, Nottinghamshire NG24 1WT. If you wish to amend your details or be removed from this mailing, please reply to this message with your instructions.