Home / Environment / Empty Lots Bloom: Community Gardens Feed East Sussex
Empty Lots Bloom: Community Gardens Feed East Sussex
29 Mar
Summary
- Community gardens are transforming unused land into food sources.
- Produce from gardens is shared with local hubs and residents.
- Organisations are rescuing food waste to support those in need.
In East Sussex, community members are actively converting neglected patches of land into productive food-growing spaces. At Wellsbourne Community Garden in Brighton, former scrubland is now yielding crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and beans, with produce designated for local family hubs and direct community access. This initiative aligns with the Right to Grow movement, encouraging the use of underutilized public land for food cultivation.
Similar transformations are underway in other parts of Brighton, where residents are growing a significant portion of their own vegetables. Community growers emphasize the untapped potential of unused land, highlighting the unsustainability of the UK's reliance on imported food. The Havens Community Food Cooperative plays a vital role by rescuing approximately £2 million worth of fresh produce annually that would otherwise be wasted, distributing it through foodbanks and community pantries in Newhaven, Peacehaven, Saltdean, and Brighton and Hove.
