The Gateway Collective CIC is one of the groups receiving a grant to transform an outdoor community space. The group runs a community garden space, growing vegetables which are shared with the community or cooked to give meals. The project helps to boost wellbeing, create social connections, tackle food poverty and make Bootle a better place for everyone using the tool of gardening.

The Gateway Collective CIC received a grant for £14,750 and will use the funding to build a kitchen and outdoor classroom within the garden space, so the group no longer needs to use hotplates to cook meals. The learning space will be used to educate the community on how to cook with what they grow. 

Ali Horton from The Gateway Collective CIC, said: “Thank you Asda Foundation, we so please to receive your support! Cooking and eating together is an integral part of our sessions helping to create community togetherness and combatting food poverty, however without a kitchen we rely on camping stoves and cook outside. This grant will fund a fully fitted kitchen which is ready to use. A new kitchen has so many benefits including helping us to increase our reach, opening a cafe and enabling us to use the space during the cold winter months. It will help us open our range of cooking options that are not possible on a camping stove and create new recipes from the food we grow. The new facility will help us to address the rising cost of living by reducing food poverty in our community, giving local people the tools to grow and cook for themselves” 

Colette Johnson, Community Champion Asda Bootle, said: “I have been going to North Park Community Garden since 2016 and I have watched it grow and develop over the years. As the garden has expanded new people have joined and benefitted from its community. North park community garden is more than a garden it is a place for people to meet other people, to socialise and to work together. The food they grow and cook is an important part of the process as is eating together. The kitchen will bring another element to the garden community as they are limited due to the lack of facilities and the kitchen will become a community hub were everyone is welcome and has a place to belong.” 

Congratulations to all the groups receiving funding for Transforming Outdoor Spaces

Burnhill Action Group
Burnside Centre
Cancer Connect NI
Friends of Spondon Parks
Knockbreda Community Garden
SEN Space Care and Respite Services CIC
St Austell Baptist Church Family Centre
St Margaret The Queen PCC
Swimbridge Parklands
The Gateway Collective CIC
Trimsaran Forum
Widmer End Village Hall & Recreation Ground Committee
Wildside Activity Centre