Big Grow Initiative set to transform Norwich communities through urban gardening

Thursday 10^th April – The Big Issue has announced the launch of “Big Grow,” an innovative community gardening project aimed at empowering marginalised individuals through food growing.

The initiative has been made possible thanks to a generous grant of up to £2,500 from Norwich City Council, funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Big Grow will transform public spaces into edible landscapes, beginning with a pilot project at St George’s Church in Colegate, Norwich.

By teaching valuable skills while building community connections, the new project embodies the Big Issue’s long-standing philosophy of providing a “hand-up not hand-out” – an ethos that was made famous by its renowned street magazine. The Big Issue magazine is sold to vendors at £2, with vendors then selling the magazine on to customers for £4, keeping the difference.

The Big Issue is intent on partnering with grassroots organisations to create projects like the Big Grow, combining local knowledge with its 34-year experience of providing earning and learning opportunities for marginalised people to drive change at a community level.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation estimates that 13.4 million people in the UK were in poverty as of 2023^[1]. 7.3 million of these are experiencing food insecurity, according to the Food Foundation^[2].

St George’s Church, which already hosts weekly coffee mornings for marginalised people, will expand its existing garden space with four new planters dedicated to growing nutritious food. The project will bring together church members, members of the local community and volunteers under the guidance of Big Issue staff.

Beginning this week and running through to October, participants will meet weekly for two-hour sessions focused on growing, harvesting, and enjoying a variety of vegetables, herbs, and fruits. Matthew’s Project in Norwich are making and donating the planters.

The 26-week programme will provide opportunities for creative engagement, learning, and celebration.

Preliminary work is already underway, with outreach to church volunteers, the local neighbourhood, and organisations serving the homeless community.

Parveen Bird, Director at the Big Issue and Trustee of Food Foundation, said: “With rising food prices and limited access to nutritional fruits and vegetables, many in our community face both physical and mental health challenges. Big Grow addresses these issues by bringing together experienced gardeners with those eager to learn, creating a supportive environment where food becomes a tool for positive change.”

Reverend Annie Blyth of St George’s Church in Colegate, Norwich, said: “We’re delighted to be working with the Big Issue on this project as it builds connections – connecting folk to their food and to nature, and connecting us to each other and building community. That’s wonderful.”

Anyone who is interested in joining Big Grow should contact Ned Canning at the Big Issue by emailing edward.canning@bigissue.com.   

The Big Grow project is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, as part of Norwich City Council’s commitment to supporting community improvements and local environmental initiatives within the city boundaries.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK Government’s Levelling Up agenda, providing funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK.

[1] Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s UK Poverty Report for 2023: https://www.jrf.org.uk/report/uk-poverty-2023

[2] The Food Foundation’s food insecurity tracking: https://foodfoundation.org.uk/initiatives/food-insecurity-tracking