‘These creative plans will have an impact across the country’

A VEGETABLE garden at the Irish Wheelchair Association’s centre in Carlow and tools and seeds for Ballymun’s Adult Read and Write Scheme are among projects that have received grant funding from GIY this year.

The Get Ireland Growing Fund run by GIY (Grow It Yourself ) in partnership with Energia, has awarded grants ranging from €500 to €2,000 to 85 community groups.

The grants totalling €70,000 are being awarded to food growing projects planned by community groups, schools and not-for-profit organisations.

Other successful applicants include a community garden for residents of The Liberties, in Dublin, a food-growing project for Galway Simon’s new residential service, ‘Tuí Bhrian’, and a vegetable patch for Youth Work Ireland in Clones, Co Monaghan.

Kerry’s Recovery Haven Cancer Support unit also received funding towards an organic fruit and vegetable garden club.

GIY founder Michael Kelly said the number of applications received this year has been the highest ever.

“These motivating and creative plans will have a real impact for people in parishes, towns, villages and cities across 31 counties.

“These types of projects usually struggle to find support and we are pleased that GIY in partnership with Energia can support these groups to grow food in their own communities,” he said.