Activity Log 2022

January 2022 –  Zoom subscription renewed. On-site volunteer groups active on four days a week

February 2022 – 25 Year lease on old depot and plant nursery land signed with HPBC. National Lottery Community Fund – Reaching Out – confirmed £96,000 funding award over three years. Two posts advertised: Gardeniser and Growing Well Coordinator. Seedy Saturday held on site (in rainstorm).

March 2022 – Seedier Sunday held for those who’d not ventured out to February event. Interviews for new posts: each filled with job share pairs, one covering part of each role.

April 2022 – Two Gardenisers and two Growing Well tutors joined on three year contracts.  First cohort for Growing Well launched with clients from Moore Care.

May 2022 – Carers Connecting SEN group started weekly after school club: Willow and Wellies. Local electrician donating his time reconnected electricity supply ready for transfer of account. Final Give Peas a Chance cohort started.

June 2022 –  Stall at Rotary Club Bazaar. Second cohort for Growing Well supporting people refereed by GPs and Buxton CVS social prescribers. Shed designed and built by Buxton and Leek College carpentry students donated and erected on site.

July 2022 – Flower Pot trail sculpture on a jubilee theme created and displayed in Serpentine Walks: a jubilee of eagle owls. Give Peas a Chance programme completed with celebration. Further funding could support annual summer courses. Fringe Event: Mix It Up. One of 30+ venues for Buxton Garden trail. Hosted Festival Fringe awards ceremony. Electricity supply went live.

August 2022 – Launch of Buxton Home Growers facebook page. Members invited to share surplus harvest for donating to local food banks – Residents of Fairfield Association and Zink Employability. Final session for this year of Willow and Wellies club with Carers Connecting SEN group.

September 2022  – Third Growing Well group started. Registered address with Royal Mail and mounted a mail box on the gatepost.

October 2022 – Fourth, and final, Growing Well group of the year started. Working party visited local private orchard for fruit picking expedition. Apple Day: pressing, drying, stewing fruit. Seed saving activity across all volunteer days. Seed exchange decorated box created by local artist from High Peaks Community Arts eARTh project. Members’ AGM held in person.

November 2022 – Awarded £500 from HPBC’s Climate Change project fund administered by CVS.  We will be planting an apple tree in poor brownfield soil and comparing its growth and produce with an identical tree planed in good quality soil in a ton bag.Contributed with a stall and workshops to Transition Buxton’s Together for the Planet event for Buxton schools. (100 school and college students attended)

December 2022 – Seed exchange box opened for public use in foyer of Pavilion Gardens. Winter Gathering on 18 December rounded off the year’s activities with mince pies and hot drinks.