Community Roots Project

I was asked by Ideal Collection if I would like to join their Community Roots morning at The White Star in Oxford Street Southampton. The Community Roots is a charity project between Southampton Voluntary Services and Ideal Collection. The scheme is based around an allotment and provides fantastic support to those who have experienced either homelessness, mental health, alcohol or substance misuse issues. The idea is that these people can build team working skills, self-esteem and it offers them a chance to socialise and escape their everyday life.

These people can grow their own vegetables at the allotment throughout the year and they then take these to The White Star in Southampton’s Oxford street. During the morning, the group were briefed by the head chef, so they knew what they were going to cook in the kitchen with the produce that they had grown. They were then taken to the kitchen to cook up what they had grown at the allotment.

Volunteers meet twice a week on a Tuesday and a Thursday and Commuminty Roots is Southamptons Voluntary Services most succesfull project.

"Helps me get back into a routine, feeling more confident and gives me a positive feeling" - Ali

"Love being outside, learning and feel healthier" - Andy

After they had cooked their ingredients, we sat down and ate the dish that they had prepared in the restaurant. It goes without saying that the food was delicious, and had been prepared to a high standard under the watchful eye of the head chef. This scheme is volunteer led, and would simply not survive without the work of the amazing volunteers that make it happen. From what I saw on the day and have read, the project is very successful and everyone involved was enjoying it. Thanks to Ideal Collection for inviting me down to be a small part of the morning and take some photographs for the people involved and I personally wish the project all the success for the future.