In 2010 we began to develop our new kitchen garden with a £23 000 grant from the Big Lottery. We will use the garden to grow much of the fresh food we eat at the Centre, as well as provide a fantastic learning resource for many different activities. The funding has helped us to employ a garden tutor, as well as construct accessible raised growing beds and a polytunnel so we can have salad all year round. The project means we can afford to feed our visitors with top quality nutritious ingredients and help protect the environment by reducing food miles. Kench Hill Charity is amongst the successful applicants to receive funding from the Local Food Programme, supporting food related community projects across the country.
Sandi Bain, Head of Centre said:
"We are thrilled to be able to develop a kitchen garden which we know will inspire so many children to taste and enjoy healthy foods, and encourage an interest in growing and eating fresh produce themselves."

Mark Wheddon, Local Food Programme Manager said:
"It is projects like this that have a wide and lasting impact on the community and we are happy to support them. This 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.

For further information please visit www.localfoodgrants.org.

For Hackney residents that enjoyed the garden at Kench Hill and would like information about local projects or some tasty seasonal recipes go to: www.growingcommunities.org.uk