Eastbourne local food project

Many residents do not have access to land to grow food but aspire to cultivate their own fruit and vegetables; leading healthier and more active lives. Stakeholders consist of staff and students from SSM and Health Professions, local residents and clients from Sussex Oakleaf Trust. The project is fully supported by Eastbourne Facilities and Estate Management Department. There is an aim to integrate the day to day activities of this cross-section of stakeholders for mutual understanding and benefits.

Project aims

The project provided an ideal opportunity to work more closely with local residents to enhance understanding of their local university. The emphasis of the project is environmental with sustainability, health promotion, inter-generational working and food knowledge transfer between project participants underpinning all elements of the project.

Project impact

The project has utilised part of the University of Brighton, Darley Road campus for Occupational Therapy, Green Exercise and Leisure Gardening purposes. It has established a community of collaborative horticulture and food growing. A series of raised beds were constructed and extended adjacent to the Aldro and Greynore buildings in Darley Road. The programme of work has evaluated shared and parallel use of plots, and settled on a model of allotment gardening.

To date the project has successfully re-developed the Aldro Garden and the Greynore Garden, and has a lively community of students staff, community participants and local residents. Together they have created an attractive and interesting space.

Research team

Harvey Ells  School of Sport and Service Management

Tania Wiseman

Output

Wiseman T, Sadlo G (2014) Gardening – an occupation for wellness and recovery, (Chapter in) International Handbook of Occupational Therapy Interventions 2nd Edition (pp xxx-xxx) Springer New York.

Wiseman, T. (2014) Gardening – a meaningful activity for recovery and wellness
Ecotherapy and Nature Based Therapy Symposium, One day symposium run in conjunction with The Centre for Ecotherapy, Counsellors and Psychotherapists Outdoors and The University of Brighton, 20th June 2014

Wiseman, T.  Smutz, U (2014) Growing health: Integration of food growing into the National Health Service. Session 53 - Innovative practice:  53.4 College of occupational therapists annual conference, 3-5th June 2014. Facilitated poster discussion presentation.  Abstract published in proceedings, Poster Will be added to F1000 poster repository.

Wiseman, T (2013)  Sustainable community gardening in the curriculum Sustainability and health symposium, University of Brighton 6th  March 2013

Dixon A, Wiseman T (2012) The natural environment: Working therapeutically within the context of a market garden social enterprise. College of Occupational Therapists Annual Conference, SECC Glasgow, Scotland, June 2012 Paper presentation: Abstract published in proceedings

Wiseman T (2012) Constraints and incentives in community gardening: A systematic review of the literature. Doctoral conference, School of Environment and technology paper presentation, June 2012, Brighton, England. Paper presentation

Kilpatrick T, Wiseman T (2011) The experience of volunteering in a community gardening project. College of occupational therapists annual conference, June 2011. Facilitated poster discussion presentation: Abstract published in proceedings

Partners

Funded by the Community University Partnership (CUPP)

Stakeholder included staff and students from the School of Sport and Sector Management and Health Sciences

Clients from Sussex Oakleaf Trust