Off to a great start!
In 2016 Lizzie Wynn and Charissa Buhler asked if they could take one some neglected raised beds, outside the Porthmadog Leisure Centre in North Wales, as an ‘Incredible Edible’ project. Since then they have constituted the group, applied to be a charity and partnered with our neighbours; Byw’n Iach, (who have 11 leisure centres across North Wales) Ysgol Eifion Wyn primary school, Tesco, Hafod y Gest assisted living centre and the police station. They are planting an Edible Corridor that meanders past all the partners, from the train station to the police station. Quite an impressive feat of organisation and co-ordination!
Composting Food waste a crucial factor
Lizzie and Charissa are certainly dedicated to their principles as Lizzie wrote: “We promote and teach about food security in our changing climate, ‘Cradle to Cradle’ principles and sustainable structures. We have received multiple donations from many sources and a £50k grant from the Welsh Government Landfill Tax Disposal scheme. The Ridan composter was included in this grant application.”
Ridan offers the perfect solution
Ridan have the perfect composting system to turn their local food wastes into compost for their gardening endeavours. This reduces the need to transport waste away or for them to transport compost in. Sources, of the food waste, so far, include the leisure centre cafe and Eifion Wyn’s kitchen. The composting has just begun, and it will take some time to assess the quality and quantity of the output. Compost like wine, takes time to mature!
Getting Children involved is vital
And as Lizzie wrote to me: “We began to strengthen our relationship with Eifion Wyn school last year, when we ran a children’s design competition for the garden in the public area outside the school. Seven children became the design team and we work with them each week on the scheme. We are just about to start working with all the classes on a rotation basis, teaching about food from the beginning stages of a garden. Now they are digging and planting fruit trees that we have donated. Soon they will plant vegetable seeds. We also visit other schools and community groups; Borth y Gest school came and planted native trees last year with us.”
Further Links
https://www.facebook.com/WynnLCardiff/https://www.facebook.com/ediblemadog
https://nhsforest.org/dwyfor-leisure-centrecanolfan-hamdden-dwyfor
https://www.incredibleedible.org.uk/find-a-group/incredible-edible-porthmadog-bwyd-bendigedig-port