Big Issue’s new Big Grow initiative set to transform communities through urban gardening

What better way to celebrate the first blooms of spring than with the launch of a new Big Issue initiative? Big Grow is an innovative urban gardening project aimed at empowering marginalised communities through growing food, made possible thanks to a generous grant from Norwich City Council.

Transforming public spaces into edible landscapes by teaching valuable skills, Big Grow begins with a pilot project at St George Church in Colgate, Norwich.

“With rising food prices and limited access to nutritional fruits and vegetables, many in our community face both physical and mental health challenges,” said Parveen Bird, director at Big Issue and trustee of the Food Foundation. “Big Grow addresses this by bringing together experienced gardeners with those eager to learn, creating a supportive environment where food becomes a tool for positive change.”

The project draws inspiration from the Incredible Edibles program in Todmorden, where public edible landscapes have thrived for 15 years. Similar projects have been replicated in 30 towns across the UK.

St George Church will expand its existing garden space with four new planters dedicated to growing nutritious food, made and donated by the Matthew Project in Norwich.

The project will bring together church members, the homeless community and local volunteers under the guidance of Big Issue staff. Between April and October 2025, they will meet weekly for two-hour sessions focused on growing, harvesting and enjoying a variety of vegetables, herbs and fruits.

The initiative has been made possible thanks to a generous grant of up to £2,500 from Norwich City Council, funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Reverend Annie Blyth of St George Church in Colegate, Norwich, said: “We’re delighted to be working with the Big Issue on this project as it builds connections – connecting folk to their food and to nature, and connecting us to each other and building community. That’s wonderful.”

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation estimates that 13.4 million people in the UK were in poverty as of 2023. 7.3 million of these are experiencing food insecurity, according to the Food Foundation.

The Big Issue is intent on partnering with grassroots organisations to create projects like the Big Grow, combining local knowledge with its 34-year experience of providing earning and learning opportunities for marginalised people to drive change at a community level.

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