Drove Road Community Garden

OUR MISSION STATEMENT

“Drove Road Community Garden, is a ‘Not-for-Profit’, which will help the East Brighton Community, through volunteers, growing healthy food and helps the environment by using natural and regenerative farming methods to improve the soil and encourage biodiversity”

Drove Road Community Garden (DRCG-CIC)

The company’s activities will be carried out for the benefit of residents of Woodingdean, and its surrounding neighbours, who are suffering from hunger, poverty or loneliness.

Growing good food locally, for local people

We will be growing healthy food, without chemical interventions, for local distribution.  Food will be made available locally to volunteers, local farm shops and local retail outlets.  Excess food may be given to the local Woodingdean Food Hub.   

Improving the environment through regenerative farming methods   

We will use regenerative agriculture methods to improve soil health and vitality and encourage biodiversity in and around the site.  Encouraging both innovation and the use of traditional farming methods and products.  We may also investigate growing flowers as a cash crop.

Collaborating with other, local food production projects   

We will work with other organic and near organic projects in Sussex to share resources, ideas and benefits across the wider community.  This will include local projects for horticulture and nature preservation.

Providing opportunities for volunteering

Providing opportunities for volunteering, developing skills, and gaining confidence in working on initiatives to benefit the community.  This will be both for local people and open to external, corporate bodies. Volunteering on the site will also contribute to the wellbeing and mental health of our participants.

Providing Help and Advice and training in farming and gardening techniques

Helping our volunteers, and via pre-arranged events, external groups to develop farming skills, and gain confidence in working on community initiatives.

Managing the Company to ensure the resilience of the operation

DRCG CIC will seek to be self-sufficient in funding, though grant monies will be necessary to start up the operation.  

We will also provide sponsorship opportunities for local businesses to raise their profile by association with healthy food growing.

We will investigate the “Community Supported Agriculture scheme” to tie in the residents to the success of the project.

We will also investigate dedicating certain parts of the land to re-wilding, nature preservation projects.

Training in all of the necessary skills will also be given to the volunteers and directors on a regular basis.  These activities will support the community by ensuring that the CIC is sustainable in the long term.

If the CIC does make a profit, it will be used to provide resilience in the business model, to allow it to survive for up to six months.  Any excess over and above this would be used to enhance the facilities available on the site.

Please re-visit the site to follow our progress.