Growing in our Community

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Growing in our Community

Last Sunday members of Jon Cruddas MP's team visited Dagenham Farm, a thriving initiative supplying the local area with organic produce and equipping local residents with skills in cultivation and food preparation.

Dagenham Farm is part of Growing Communities, a community-led organisation that creates sustainable urban farms. Growing Communities has been based in Hackney since 1996 and expanded with the opening of Dagenham Farm in 2012.

Dagenham Farm now reports producing around five tonnes of produce each year. Fresh produce can be purchased at Dagenham East station on Thursdays between 5-7pm or at Open Farm Sundays when the site is open to visitors and volunteers between 11am to 3pm. Volunteers are also welcomed on a Wednesday between 10am to 3pm and are provided with a free lunch freshly sourced from the kitchen garden.

In addition to their commercial enterprises, last year the farm launched Grown in Dagenham. With support from the Big Lottery the project is running a free summer holiday club for ages 9-15 as well as weekly term time sessions with schools in the borough. The farm has also trained four unemployed lone parents from the area in the skills needed to grow, produce, market and retail a product.

Jon Cruddas commented: "Dagenham Farm is a real asset to our community, offering fresh affordable produce and educational opportunities to all. However, schemes like this can only be sustained and developed with the support of local residents. Volunteers are vital if the farm is to be properly maintained and reach its potential. I would urge people to give of their time and take advantage of a project which offers exercise, training, a sense of accomplishment and some delicious fresh produce!"

To read more about the work of Dagenham Farm, Growing Communities and Grown in Dagenham please follow the links below. As part of their continued commitment to community outreach, Dagenham Farm is also hosting DagenJam on Sunday 10th September from 1-5pm. All comers are invited to sample cream teas and fresh produce along with farm tours and free cooking workshops.

General information: https://www.growingcommunities.org/dagenham-farm

Volunteering: https://www.growingcommunities.org/volunteering-dagenham

Address: Dagenham Farm, Central Park Nursery, Rainham Road North, RM10 7EJ