In response to the challenges our community are facing due to COVID-19, our partner and local charity Regenerate have linked up with Heathmere Primary School and Rackets Cubed to coordinate a weekly food box scheme.
The Roehampton Community Box is distributed to numerous local families, young people and the elderly living in Roehampton and Putney, who have high needs in this difficult economic situation.
Growhampton donates fresh, nutritious produce cultivated right here on campus by volunteers. This can make a real difference to local lives.
So far we have donated more than 320 kg of produce to the initiative, ranging from kale and radishes to tomatoes and squashes.
As a volunteer, you can get involved in different stages of the field-to-fork journey.
This could be through our 'Give It A Grow' session on a Wednesday to sow seeds, transplant seedlings, weed/water the crops, or prepare the soil for new veggies.
Whereas on a Tuesday you can learn more of the operational side of things by helping with the Harvest Morning.
Every Tuesday morning from 9.00, a small, dedicated group of volunteers harvest seasonal fruit and veg in our community garden and polytunnel.
This is then sorted and bagged in the Growhampton packing room to be distributed locally by Regenerate that afternoon.
The fast turnaround ensures that produce reaches people while at its nutritional best.
Being involved in the Community Harvest is a great opportunity to learn more about - and gain practical skills in - how green spaces and food-growing can enhance community development, local nutrition and food education.
It is also a positive contribution to the wider Roehampton area where we study andlive.
Please get in touch via email Growhampton@roehampton.ac.uk or Ollie.Cem@roehampton.ac.uk
Likewise, you can contact Regenerate directly if you want to help on the ground in the Roehampton community.