The Growing Communities project is a localised offshoot of TCV and is a partnership with Adur & Worthing councils, funded by The National Lottery’s Community Fund.
The aim of the project is to radically transform the health and happiness of individuals living in the areas of Eastbrook in the Adur District and Northbrook in the Worthing Borough.
Growing Communities is a community-led project which aims at improving the health and wellbeing of local people using green spaces as a canvas
John Haigh, Operations Leader
Activities are decided by the public, to enable them to get the most out of their local green spaces and ensure that they are being used in a way that fits the needs of the community.
Since its inception, the Growing Communities project has provided the communities of Eastbrook and Northbrook with activities such as Green Gyms, gardening groups, community walks, a Community Orchard and holiday Fun Clubs, which have helped participants to learn practical skills from project planning and marketing, to conservation skills including woodland maintenance and seasonal planting.
The Growing Communities team also deliver their own podcasts and produce their own community magazine.
Improving green spaces makes the local communities feel like these spaces are being looked after, and they’re more accessible. It just provides a nice place to be.
Michelle Furtado, Chair of Adur & Worthing Green Spaces Partnership
As the project grows, there are more offshoots emerging, such as Eastbrook Explorers, chaired by Nick Slugg. This walking group is supported by Growing Communities and Adur & Worthing Council and encourages the local community to get outdoors, get involved with each other, and helps to build links within the community.
Without The National Lottery’s funding, community projects like these would not be able to grow and develop in the way they have.
Thank you to National Lottery players for contributing around £30 million to good causes each week.
2019 has been a very special year for The Conservation Volunteers as we celebrate our 60th birthday. This year also marks the 25th anniversary of the first draw of The National Lottery, on 19th November.
Since 1994, more than £40 billion has been raised for good causes in the areas of arts, sport, heritage and community. That’s around £30 million contributed to good causes each week by players of The National Lottery.
TCV has received an incredible £5million plus in funding from The National Lottery, which has allowed us to reconnect people to green spaces, providing positive outcomes for both.
To celebrate the amazing work that we have been able to achieve with The National Lottery funding, we want to share with you some of our past, present and future work.
Over the coming weeks, we will be showing some of the work that has been enabled by this funding and sharing exactly how The Conservation Volunteers use the money received from The National Lottery.