Greener Growth recognised with Suffolk Award for work at Riverwalk School, Bury St Edmunds, during coronavirus

By Sam Walker - [email protected] Published: 15:22, 25 May 2021 | Updated: 15:32, 25 May 2021

A community interest company that rejuvenates neglected areas and makes them ‘biodiversity enhancing’ has been awarded a Suffolk Award for their work at a Bury St Edmunds school over the coronavirus pandemic.

Joannah Metcalfe and Wesley Stanford from Greener Growth met Suffolk’s High Sheriff Edward Creasy and his wife Penny last Friday to be officially handed over the award recognising their work carried out at Riverwalk School since last March, and also their work more broadly across the region.

Joannah said her and her team had been working ‘unremittingly’ over the past year but were shocked to have been recognised with a High Sheriff award.

HIgh Sheriff of Suffolk Edward Creasy presents the Suffolk Award to Joannah Metcalfe from Greener Growth. Picture: Andy Abbott.

“We were completely stunned,” she said. “We used to enter other competitions but we haven’t touched anything for over a year because we have been so busy.

“So to have some recognition that it wasn’t so easy is nice.”

Greener Growth have been working with Riverwalk School for around four years and in that time have set to work building habitat havens, willow plantations and a new pagoda to offer shade and cover for staff and pupils.

Greener Growth have been working with Riverwalk School for four years. Picture: Andy Abbott.

Jan Hatchell, headteacher, said it was the company’s willingness to accommodate the school’s needs that had been such a positive for them though.

“We have been finding ways to develop the outside spaces and Greener Growth have little by little developed things for the children,” she said.

She added: “We know exactly what we need for the children.

“Whatever we feel, they will find a way to do it which is why we’ve stuck with them.”

Jan Hatchell, headteacher at Riverwalk School, with former pupil Sandy Mowat. Picture: Mark Westley.

Edward Creasy, the High Sheriff of Suffolk, said: “Despite the restrictions imposed by the pandemic, Greener Growth has continued working to allow everyone to enjoy the benefits of living in a greener environment, and the wonderful work they have done at the Riverwalk School has been truly inspirational, making a real difference to the pupils’ lives.”

https://www.suffolknews.co.uk/bury-st-edmunds/news/social-enterprise-bag-suffolk-award-9200712/

Wildlife mural unveiled at Southgate Community Centre, Bury St Edmunds

By Sam Walker - [email protected]

A new wildlife mural with the ‘wow’ factor has been unveiled outside a community hub in Bury St Edmunds as part of a £15,000 rejuvenation project.

Members from the local community and councillors Richard Rout and Patrick Chung were on hand last week to officially reveal the new artwork outside the Southgate Community Centre.

Andy Abbott, chairman for the centre, said: “We didn’t see it until it was unveiled and it was a shock. It’s got the wow factor.

Suffolk County Councillor Richard Rout and Cllr Patrick Chung unveiling the new mural at the Southgate Community Centre. Picture: Andy Abbott.

“Children walk past it every day and it’s got the local community talking.

“And it’s only the first phase.”

The completed mural, created by artists Bella Reynolds and Lauren Bonner, is the first in a four-part ‘Environment and Wildlife initiative’ led by the community centre.

The idea for the community centre rejuvenation project came about after a conversation between centre members and Cllr Richard Rout two years ago. Picture: Andy Abbott.

It is a joint collaboration with Greener Growth, a community interest company that takes neglected areas and makes them food-producing and biodiversity-enhancing.

The four-stage project, which was originally conceived around two years ago and will cost £15,000 in total, will also see a stone table, wildlife haven, stone garden area, and sanctuary garden all put in place.

Once the project is complete, Greener Growth will continue working with residents to maintain and develop the spaces.

Andy said it was hoped the initiative would have a ‘lasting effect and impact on the area for the benefit of the community and local residents’.

https://www.suffolknews.co.uk/bury-st-edmunds/news/community-centre-unveils-new-mural-as-part-of-15-000-projec-9200760/

Greener Growth now SafeContractor Approved

We are very pleased to announce that Greener Growth CIC has been awarded SafeContractor accreditation from Alcumus for achieving excellence in health and safety in the workplace. Alcumus SafeContractor is a leading third party accreditation scheme which recognises extremely rigorous standards in health and safety management amongst contractors. It is used by thousands of organisations in the UK including SMEs and FTSE 100 companies.

Our Operations Manager Jannine Parry has spearheaded the work to achieve this accreditation which has taken our health and safety policies to the next level. This award demonstrates to our clients our commitment to ethical, safe working conditions and will greatly expand the sites and clients we can work with. Most of all the award shows our team, that we are committed to providing them with a safe and secure working environment.

Well done Jannine and all the team!

Project Update: HMP Wayland

HMP Wayland is based near Thetford, in Norfolk, and is a low security category C prison. It has large PIPE (Psychologically Informed Planned Environments) and PD (personality disorder) units within the same building, which share the same large garden. We have been working with this prison for years now, with 2021 being the seventh delivery year!

During Phase One we introduced a permaculture-based plan, which included renovating some old buildings and an old aviary into a potting shed & green-house. We brought in donated and recycled materials, as this was not part of the original budget (the buildings were due to be pulled down). They have made a fabulous central feature of the gardens and have been incredibly useful.

In addition to nine large timber framed raised beds, we have also added three ‘Back-Yard Projects’, four wildlife ponds, many willow (fedge) boundary fences, rustic benches with arbours and a memorial garden. We have also planted a substantial heritage orchard and deliver two lots of six-week ‘Food & Nutrition & Budgeting’ courses to help the inmates learn how to prepare and cook the produce they grow. Learning how to budget on a low income is also a vital skill for true rehabilitation.

A poly-tunnel was donated and so there is now an additional tier to our delivery. Teaching how we can generate fresh food all year around, even during the “Hungry Gap”.

Greener Growth project needs help from residents to create 'green corridor' in Bury St Edmunds

By Kevin Hurst Bury Free Press

A call for Bury St Edmunds residents to put their favourite town green spaces on the map – literally – has been made by a Suffolk environmental community interest company.

Greener Growth’s Bury Green Spaces project wants people to fill out a questionnaire to help to create a ‘green corridor’ throughout the town for the benefit of wildlife and residents’ suggestions for the map could also grow future project ideas.

Jo Metcalfe, founder of Greener Growth, said: “We all know outdoor activities have become more important over the last year or so but for us they have always been important because of the impact on health, wellbeing and biodiversity as a whole.

Andy Abbott (Chairman of Southgate Community Partnership), Craig Lee (Project Manager/Director for Greener Growth), Jo Metcalfe (Greener Growth founder), Cllr Pete Thompson and Cllr Richard Rout - outside Southgate Community Centre, one of the areas set to be transformed.Picture by Mecha Morton.

“People that live in this town know their area best, so we need their input on how green spaces near them should be managed or looked at a little differently to help wildlife thrive there.”

The organisation has worked on various projects across the town over the years and when this new idea was presented to the town council most councillors were in support of it, including chairman and mayor, Peter Thompson.

He said: “The important thing for me in this project is that it is community-driven. I love that this will be engaging with people to show what they have found.

“On my ward, Moreton Hall, I have seen people discovering places on their daily walks that they did not know existed before, so I am hoping Jo’s project will bring greater awareness like this and benefit residents’ lives and their mental wellbeing for the better.”

Jo also hopes the project will allow for collaborations with the likes of Bury in Bloom and Grow Bury St Edmunds Community Garden to make the map fully inclusive of all the good work which is being done in the town.

She said: “We want everybody, town councillors, community groups and residents to join forces on this for the benefit of the town.

https://www.suffolknews.co.uk/bury-st-edmunds/news/project-needs-help-from-residents-to-create-green-corridor-9191806/