Cross collaboration between several Forth Valley College departments has planted seeds that are set to grow into sustainable ingredients for the future.
Staff from across Supported Programmes, Hospitality, the STEM and Construction Departments worked together on a ‘Grow and Share’ project that hopes to grow vegetables and fruit to eat and cook with in the refectory and cookery classes, in various planting areas around the College.
McLaughlin and Harvey a well-established construction and Civil Engineering Company have also been donating time and materials, to help get the project get up and running and The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) have donated their expertise in helping staff and students to learn about the growing process.
Students from Workstart and ESOL classes gathered on Wednesday 3 June to start planting out on the Stirling Campus patio, and everyone is looking forward to seeing the fruits of their labours over the summer and into autumn, and hopefully with ‘Grow and Share’ becoming part of the curriculum and ethos in FVC classes.
Lucy Hawkins, Curriculum Manager, in Supported Programmes and ESOL at FVC, said: “I hope this project allows us to embed growing into the curriculum and we can build cohesion and break down barriers, while learning to grow our own food to cook, share and eat together.”
Karyn King, Operations Manager in FVC’s Department of Creative, Digital and Leisure Industries, said: “I am delighted that we have got this project off the ground and it is great to see so much cross department collaboration. Students will see a real benefit to this, whether it is the growing, the maintenance, the food itself or just learning more about sustainability.”
Murray Wilkie, FVC STEM and Construction Lecturer, said: “The Grow and Share projectseeds have now been planted at the Stirling Campus. It was an amazing project to be involved in alongside staff and students, and it’s fantastic to finally see it up and running after so many meetings and ideas.”
More information on McLaughlin and Harvey can be found here https://www.mclh.co.uk/ and more information on TCV can be found here https://www.tcv.org.uk/scotland/
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