Edible School Gardens at Bridport St Mary’s

12 years ago, Robert Golden founded the local charity HOME in Bridport. The Edible Garden Project is its main piece of work along with the Community Allotment on Princess Road, Skilling and partnering with other local organisations to help share knowledge around growing, harvesting, cooking and eating of local food, working
with children at St Mary’s, Bridport Primary and other local schools to encourage children to become young champions of nature, the environment, local food and biodiversity.

Real Food tasting workshop
Sarah Wilberforce is the Project Leader for the Edible Gardens and our professional gardener is Jamie Ball. We are so lucky with our volunteers and those who come to help support and teach. A huge thanks to everyone who contributes, and we can always use more volunteers. In particular, parents are very welcome.

Re-skinning the poly tunnel thanks to the wonderful volunteers working alongside Jamie

The gardens offer activities using the National Curriculum STEAM approach, adding the Arts to Science, and to provide a place where children can get their hands in the soil: weeding, watering, planting seeds and caring for young plants. There is real evidence that this lifts mood and increases wellbeing. There is a Gardening Club
each week, and each year this group spends time in the garden

Every year HOME supports St Mary’s Children’s Food Fair in June with thanks to all those local organisations who provide food to taste, workshops, games, treasure hunts and much besides.

Over the last decade support for school meals, cooking sessions for parents and children, a cook book, barbecues, pizza evenings, harvest celebrations, and participation in Bridport’s famous Food Festival have all taken place. Through the Eco-club the school has gained Plastic Free Schools Status.

Children’s art work exploring what is above and below the soil

For the last three years, we have organised a visit for 30 children to visit Tamarisk Farm for a day to learn about farming, weaving, growing, the value of water, nature and biodiversity. Thanks to Ellen and Yannine for their teaching and kindness.

The Edible Garden Team meet regularly in school every Wednesday in the afternoon. 
Bridport Primary School’s Edible Garden Team meet on Tuesday afternoons and there is an after-school gardening club.
If you want to get in-touch please email info.homeinbridport@gmail.com or send a
message on our Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/HomeInBridport
Professional Gardener: James Ball
Project Lead: Sarah Wilberforce
Photographs: Robert Golden
Project Support: Tina Ellen Lee/Golden

HOME in BRIDPORT:
Teresa Perella
Teresea, or Tia, was one of the founding gardeners of St Mary’s Edible Garden, so skilled, patient and endlessly creative. Tia sadly died late last year and we continue to honour her and miss her wonderful spirit and skills. Thank you Tia.

At St Mary’s part of the edible garden site is used after school hours by ASCape, a local charity that supports Autistic and socially anxious children and their families. ASCape's gardening club provides an opportunity for its members aged 4-12 to learn how to grow edible plants in an environmentally conscious way. 

Our lead gardener Kat will show the children how to prepare the planting area, and discuss the lifecycle of plants and how seeds germinate. The children will be invited to share in the planning process, selecting plants and sowing seeds. There are plenty of fun activities whatever the weather!

If you would like to attend a session, or to know more about ASCape, please email info@ascapegroup.org