Welcome to Growhampton
In the middle of a noisy crowded London, there is a place where happy hens are reared for organic eggs, pure golden honey is extracted from bee hives and fresh vegetables grow sustainably.
A peek over the university’s wall reveals all these wonderful things. We spoke with Celia Briseid, the Growhampton Project Coordinator, about the role the initiative plays at Roehampton.
“Kids love this. It’s a fantastic experience for children, and we try our very best to be engaging, fun, interactive and interesting so that all the children can take something away from the sessions. Children truly thrive in the outdoor environment, so this is something that we will continue to offer in the next academic year,” said Celia.
Growhampton’s principal aim is to educate children and students to love, respect and protect the environment.
They successfully create, market and promote healthy food that’s produced with sustainable and ethical methods. Behind the scenes are a bunch of dedicated and passionate people who coordinate the action alongside student volunteers.
“The project engages students, staff and the local community with environmental issues, particularly those associated with food. Growhampton firmly believes in social responsibility, and that’s our main motivation for the project. We aim wherever possible to ensure our students leave university feeling empowered to take on any task life throws at them and to become responsible citizens with a great awareness of environmental issues,” said Celia.
Growhampton opened the Hive Café in 2015 on Digby Square. it’s a place for people to socialise and enjoy carefully prepared delicious food and drink. Their ingredients are produced locally, ethically and are organically sourced, with most grown on campus.
Students see how the homegrown tomatoes, spinach, cabbage and strawberries grow from outside the Hive to the plating on their dish. Their sandwiches are made the Feel Good Bakery, a social enterprise that helps steer juveniles clear of gangs and crime.
See also: “The Hive” to launch their first cookbook for students
Growhampton plans to start a collaborative research project with the university’s Life Sciences department and NHS health professionals. The ‘falls prevention gardening programme’ on campus attempts to help elderly people take-part in activities where traditional rehabilitation fails.
“The programme seeks to evaluate gardening as an alternative to traditional exercise which often has a poor uptake by the target demographic. Students can come and volunteer together with the elderly as they go about the activities such as seed sowing, watering, weeding and harvesting vegetables,” said Celia.
The introduction of bee hives atop the Student Union bar was an ambition Growhampton brought to life. Urgent global action is required to stop the depletion of the world’s bees and the university hopes to aid the cause. This amazing feat is set to benefit the campus environmentally with increased pollination, and financially with honey harvesting.
Celia’s duties often overwhelm her but a positive mental attitude allows her to treat every challenge as an opportunity. She confessed that being surrounded by an engaged student community helped.
“Growhampton has grown and developed into a project that offers a wide range of opportunities to our students, which of course also brings with it a few challenges, but a great deal of our impact revolves around the students who dedicate a great amount of time to volunteer with us. Whether it’s during our Learn to Grow sessions, with the chickens or at market day. It’s their willingness and determination that allows Growhampton to achieve everything that we are able to achieve.”
Each year, students are asked for feedback on volunteer involvement through Facebook surveys. Growhampton notes important behavioural changes regarding the environment.
Of all the respondents, 82 percent admitted an increased awareness towards environment and sustainability issues. Their motivation to work is driven by meeting new people and making new friends. Most said that the volunteering opportunities sparked their interest in food, gardening and the environment.
“The survey helps us understand students’ motivations for joining the project, why they volunteer and what they hope to get out of their time. When volunteering with Growhampton, students ‘learn through doing’ and a practical exposure of sustainability concepts being embedded into the everyday nature of the activities becomes evident. One particular trend that has become evident is that the key, driving motivation for joining, is the social interactions.”
Growhampton offers a genuine opportunity for students and children to learn life essential skills and connect with the magical spirit of nature. They have a unique chance to grow, make mistakes and get an outdoor education. This experience boosts character and prepares them to dive in and explore the world outside the four walls of their bedroom.
Growhampton means reverting back to the basics. It explores the importance of nature and how helping out can improve their quality of life. It’s a delightful mix of humanity, compassion, tasty food and a love for people and life.
Written by Iulia Paval
