Baker plants seeds of home grow idea
ABAKER is to install planters a part of a project to get the town eating homegrown fruit and veg.
John-Paul Chesworth, who runs bakery Bacup Pie, is aiming to install planters in the town’s market with the help of Bacup Pride.
The project is aimed at getting young people involved in growing their own fruit and veg, which will then be used to make some tasty treats.
A chef for more than 20 years, John-Paul set up Bacup Pie more than 18 months ago and hopes the project will give something back to the community.
He said: “The dream is to be self sufficient within the next 18 months as a business.
“We want to try and engage youth around town really because with Covid there’s nothing for them to do really.
“So if we can engage them and teach them a life skill potentially by planting their own vegetables, then I can teach them how to cook it. I am more than happy to do that.”
With the help of Bacup Pride, John-Paul aims to install the planters in Bacup market, near to his soon to be opened pie store.
He hopes to get local community groups and schools involved in the project with plans for a celebration event during the August bank holiday.
“I’ve got some half cakes barrels which I can plant on the market and turn them into a herb garden,” John-Paul said.
“I can walk out, clip some rosemary and put it in a pie right there in front of you – for me that’s as fresh and as good as it gets, it’s second to none really.
“Once we’re out of lockdown I want to try and get a list together of kids and who is going to plant what and then they can come and check them every week.”
The idea came from conversation with his nephew Rio, who had just left school.
John-Paul said: “He was saying he doesn’t know how to make a white sauce or a piece of bread.
“And I was like ‘wow’, how can you go into life not knowing how to make a piece of bread? I was astounded by it.
“I think it’s absolutely fantastic to be able to give back to somebody. It will take them away from the Xbox and show them a life skill.”
He also said he hopes the project will help brighten Bacup’s reputation.
“Bacup as a town has quite a rough reputation and it’s just trying to get that stigma away,” JohnPaul said.
“A lot of my friends live in Crawshawbooth, Helmshore and Rawtenstall and they say to me that they think Bacup is a bit rough. I’m like ‘no, not really’.”
John-Paul also said he is looking for donations of planters or wood, such as old railway sleepers, that can be used to grow the fruit and vegetables You can drop off any donations to the store on Bacup Market or email bacuppie@gmail.com.