As you will remember from a few months ago, the Bristol Hospital Eduation Service was one of the schools that won our IncrEdible Schools competition last year and we, and a group of volunteers have been working hard this term to create real change on their allotment at St Werburghs so that the students at the school can access it safely and learn lots from being outside in such a beautiful spot. They are learning not just about food growing, but also about nature, about birds and their songs, about trees and plants and the joys of being outside. The allotment is one that is on the hillside in St Werburghs and apart from the looming site of Fairfield School in the distance and the trains on the track below, it’s hard to look around and believe you are in the city.

The school is full of some of the most vulnerable young people in our city and we are thrilled to be able to give them an opportunity to learn about food, nature and just “being” in a space that is safe as well as hugely biodiverse. Seeing them take fruit from the trees, watch birds flying around and not screaming every time they see a worm or an earwig is brilliant because it means they are starting to understand the space and join in with the project.

We have spent a considereable amount of time preparing an area at the front of the plot that was full of brambles and weeds, along with a very brave gooseberry bush that was holding on for dear life. The space is cleared and the decision was made to use a no dig method as the area is going to be for some fruit trees. A layer of cardboard was put down followed by a thick mulch of leaves from the school car park which will rot down nicely and then a thick layer of manure mixed with straw that we got from St Werburghs City Farm, just down the hill. Now we are just awaiting the trees, which are coming from Bristol City Council’s One Tree Per Child Project and we hope will be two apples and two pears on small root socks to keep them manageable.

You can get involved in this project! We meet at the cafe at St Werburghs farm every Wednesday at 1.30 and spend a couple of hours working on the site. There is no need to feel that you must come each week-it is a completely drop in group as all our work parties are across the city. If you are going to come drop us a quick line to sara@ediblebristolorguk.wpcomstaging.com so we have your email in case we cancel due to weather or other things we aren’t in control of!