At at time when fundraising has become so much tougher this counts as a marvellous result! A grant of £19,000 towards a yurt and a programme and field co-ordinator. Growing Links in Penzance has a community garden which is open to everybody and they have volunteer sessions three times a week. They accept referrals on behalf of vulnerable adults from doctors, from rehabilitation, the detox centre, from the police, from social workers, from Family Services and the Ministry of Justice. The crucial issue is that they develop an all year round, accessible venue to use with different groups – holding up to 20 people What they need is a Yurt, a temporary building that can be erected and dismantled, where they can add a wood burner for heat in the winter months and it will have an insulating thermal layer for the colder months.
Workshops held in the yurt will include connecting with nature for wellbeing, permaculture, exercise and healthy lifestyles. They also also have a programme and field co-ordinator on a part time basis, this person will organise facilitators to use the field and yurt as a space and for vulnerable adults to be able to join the workshops free of charge. The co-ordinator will be responsible for risk assessments, health and safety, equality and diversity, safeguarding.