An innovative project to help solve social issues through gardening is continuing to reap the awards. For the Waveney Mow and Grow scheme, which has the motto Cutting Grass, Cutting Crime, Cultivating Futures, is helping to transform a community.
The award-winning neighbourhood gardener scheme has been heralded as a unique and successful enterprise in a regional awards ceremony, after benefiting from European funding.
The scheme was a joint winner of the Enterprise Award at this year's second annual East of England Celebrate Awards at The Maltings, in Ely, Cambridgeshire.
The volunteer-based Mow and Grow started after founder, Trevor Lynn, began a neighbourhood watch scheme to help improve the local area and reduce crime on Harebell Way, in Carlton Colville.
From there he went on to learn about social enterprise on a Business Link course and he came up with the idea for a gardening project that could help to solve social issues.
Waveney Mow and Grow was launched in June 2006, following a successful pilot in Carlton Colville.
The concept for the enterprise is that by working with residents and volunteers to improve local gardens and neighbourhoods people gain pride in their community, and litter levels, crime rates and safety improve. At the same time, Mow and Grow helps elderly and vulnerable people receive a free or low-cost service and provides training for the volunteers on the scheme.
Initially the project started out with a mower and a computer but was then offered a conditional grant from the European Structural Funds Global Grants scheme, which provides small grants to community organisations through European Objective 3 funding. From there Mow and Grow took off and the enterprise has now received over £80,000 from various grants.
Mr Lynn said: “When I was in the Neighbourhood Watch group I had this crazy idea that gardening could help to combat some anti-social behaviour. People used to walk across my front garden and drop litter and use it as a right of way. I planted a hedge and this was enough to stop people cutting through the garden but it also made it look nicer and it didn't cut people off.”
The project has now achieved a staggering 75pc drop in the fear of crime in the Carlton Colville community, has trained 32 people and helped many of their volunteers into paid employment or work experience.
Mow and Grow also now accepts referrals from more than 70 professional bodies in Suffolk and works in partnership with other organisations including the Probation Service and Prince's Trust.
