Dear John
AT NEWQUAY COMMUNITY ORCHARD, LOCAL PEOPLE ARE GROWING AND LEARNING TOGETHER
This month, we're pleased to share a story from another of Church Action on
Poverty's partners: Newquay Community Orchard in Cornwall.At Newquay Community Orchard, local people are growing and learning together
You can’t rush things when you’re growing your own food. It takes time and
patience, but the results can be joyful.
That’s plain to see – whether you have a solitary herb plant on a windowsill or
seven productive acres built by and for the community.
Newquay Community Orchard in Cornwall is fortunate enough to be in the latter
position. Their site covers a patch of land the size of three and a half
football pitches. It brings people together and, in doing so, helps to tackle
many social issues that could otherwise be easily overlooked.
YOU CAN'T EAT THE VIEW
People not from Cornwall often have an idyllic holiday-style image of it, but
alongside the great wealth and beauty there is significant poverty. Campaigners
here often say “You can’t eat the view” and held a conference by that name in
2019.
That conference was suggested by Andrew Howell (on the left in the above photo),
who works as a change coach at the community orchard and who runs End Hunger
Cornwall with local support.
He had begun exploring poverty in Newquay in 2017, with Cornwall Independent
Poverty Forum and says: “The more we dug, the more we found, and the more we
realised the vast scale of the problems here. The scale was epic, and we started
putting some plans together.”
The orchard, which is the August feature in the 2021 Dignity, Agency, Power
calendar, has been at the heart of many responses.
REDISCOVERING DIGNITY AND AGENCY
Andrew says:
“People can grow stuff and prepare stuff and work through stuff, in a
non-pressured way. You might spend six weeks here, or it might be five years.
It’s about getting the space and pace right. People can go to the Job Centre
when they’re struggling, and be told ‘Go get a job or we will sanction you’.
“But if they were referred to the orchard, we could have a chat and see how they
were doing and help them break a cycle and they can really boost their dignity
and agency – or rediscover it.
“You can’t push that sort of thing. People find their agency and power in their
own way, and until they do they need just a bit of support. But when they do
find it again, it’s fantastic. I have seen so many people really turn their
lives around.”
Read the full story on our website at [[link removed]]
Make a donation to support the movement upholding dignity, agency and power at [[link removed]]
Best wishes,
Liam Purcell
Church Action on Poverty
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0161 872 9294
Registered charity number 1079986. Company limited by guarantee, registered in
England and Wales, number 3780243.
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