Malling Mail 7 Books, crafts, café and chat
Growing green fingers at community plot
A one-acre plot of land has been set aside at the East Malling Research Centre in conjunction with the Joining Hands community group.
Communigrow is now enabling local families, schools and community groups to garden allotment plots and raise home grown vegetables.
The aim is to promote healthy living and teamwork.
The Malling School was the first school to sign up and will be using the site for the next three years. Staff from a range of subjects will be incorporating the project into their areas of the curriculum.
County Cllr Trudy Dean said: “It’s a long time since these skills were taught in schools and so it was great to see the students once more enjoying learning about growing healthy food and getting some fresh air and exercise into the bargain. I look forward to the development of a community allotment site here and maybe a scarecrow entry for the Chelsea Flower Show.”
The project was the brainchild of 19-year- old Louise Rowe-Leete, a former Joining Hands employee from Malling, who is now a student nurse.
Just three days into the job, Louise came up with the concept and encouraged East Malling Research to donate the land. Louise is now a valued trustee of Joining Hands and tends to Communigrow in between her studies.
If you are interested in supporting Communigrow, getting your community group involved, would like to volunteer or donate tools, seeds and plants, please get in touch by calling 0800 612-3328 or email
info@communigrow.co.uk
THE Beat Project @ The St. James Centre, East Malling is pleased to be offering a small library service in partnership with Kent Libraries and Archives. A sample selection of books is held in stock that can be borrowed in the same way as you would from a main
library.This enables us to offer a service closer to the doorstep of many local residents. The library runs at the centre in Chapman Way on Mondays from 4pm to 6pm and on Wednesdays from 10am to noon. However, if you would like to visit outside these times, please call first and staff will accommodate you whenever possible. Tel: 01732 846314. We hope that this small service will also encourage people to take up membership at their nearest main library, where they can access a very comprehensive range of books, CDs, DVDs and many other services and events. We have plans to extend our service to school children from St James The Great Primary School on the Monday afternoon, allowing the children an “exclusive hour” from 3pm to 4pm. Details will be announced once we have finalised discussions with the school.
Book Swap Club We also offer a book swap club that is open at any time – just come along to swap or borrow one of our many books, all donated by local people. This is a free no obligation service. All are welcome. Again, it may be best to call first to make sure that we are available before you make your journey. Refreshments can be offered during any of the sessions; you may enjoy a hot or cold drink and even sit down to enjoy a read here if you wish!
Community Arts Café @ The St. James Centre. The centre is still undergoing refurbishment and most areas are now complete or almost complete. The Community Arts Café is making great progress and most of the works are due to be complete in the next few weeks. We are still in need of additional funding to install a full and comprehensive café kitchen. However, we are on line to have at least the very basic kitchen set-up needed to launch the café this autumn. The café space will be another impressive area within the centre where further projects, training courses, events and activities can take place.
Woodland project We have received funding to develop the woodland area that surrounds the St. James Centre. We will be creating a space where local people, children and their families can explore and enjoy this fantastic external
space.This will very much be a project inspired by local people. We would like as many people as possible to come along to volunteer and become a part of this development project. Plans include a play area, allotment and woodland walkway. Would you like to help create this amazing space? The please come along or get in touch to let us know how you would like to be involved.
Community Spotlight
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