Bury’s Right to Grow Initiative sows more seeds with new group at Abingdon Close, Whitefield.

Bury Council today celebrated the launch of the borough’s second community food-growing project under the new ‘Right to Grow’ initiative, with a growing group of neighbours from Whitefield.

This follows from the success of the first group, the ‘Lancaster Roots’ in Ramsbottom.

The 'Right to Grow in Bury' campaign is designed to encourage groups of residents to cultivate unused public land for community food growing. The initiative supports the creation of more connected communities while boosting local health and wellbeing.

The neighbours at Abingdon Close, currently made up of 10 residents, who were keen to use their available green space to grow food for their community.

A resident from Abingdon Close, said: “We were so excited about building a place in the community that is accessible to all. It’s a great way to bring everyone together in our neighbourhood and create a real sense of community.”

The group have received guidance from Incredible Edible, and valuable support from Bury Council’s Lee Buggie, Kathy Taylor, Mark Townsend and others. Commenting on this inspiring community effort, Lee said, “It is wonderful to see how the initiative is developing in different areas of Bury. I have enjoyed working with the neighbours at Abingdon Close and supporting them in this process, we look forward to seeing more groups come together across the borough in the future.”

Get Involved: Start Your Own Right to Grow Project

If you wish to initiate a new community growing site, please email Andrew at Incredible Edible on iepad.volunteers@gmail.com .

ENDS

Notes for editors:

• Right to Grow is a programme for communities to grow more food on public land. Led by the local council, it involves maintaining a food map showing sites that are suitable for growing. The programme is led by Incredible Edible UK, and has gained broad support from local community groups right up to the House of Lords. It is also supported by multiple councils, with Hull City Council passing the first Right to Grow motion and policy in 2023.
• Residents can email iepad.volunteers@gmail.com with their suggestions for potential growing sites
• Incredible Edible Prestwich are a local community group growing food in public spaces in and around Prestwich. They helped to establish the Right to Grow in Bury as part of UK wide effort with all local authorities.
• Bury Council is the local authority of the Metropolitan Borough of Bury in Greater Manchester. It provides the majority of local government services and is a member of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.
• Lee Buggie is a Public Health Specialist at Bury Council and leads the Right to Grow programme.
• Right to Grow website: https://iepad.co.uk/projects/right-to-grow_project_bury/