‘Planting Hope’ gardens support Send a Cow
Mole Valley Farmers has announced that it will continue its support to the farming charity Send a Cow when it hosts four in-store gardens at its South Molton, Holsworthy, Yeovil and Cullompton branches.
They will be built during the week of 2 November by children from local schools to include Bishop Nympton Primary, Clawton Primary and St Michael’s Academy and will form part of Send a Cow’s ‘Planting Hope’ appeal.
The four innovative and sustainable gardens – which look like keyholes from above – will be created with the help of Send a Cow’s expert Pete Moore and Development Education Manager Claire Pickman. In sub-Saharan Africa the principles behind their construction (raised beds; utilizing materials at hand and access to the composting basket at its heart) allow thousands of people without land to grow fresh vegetables to feed their families or even to sell their produce. The garden recycles as it grows. Waste water, together with moisture from the compost, constantly feeds the soil, allowing lots to grow in a small area.
The basket, which is more insulated than a normal compost heap, makes breakdown faster. These principles work anywhere, meaning a very small patch can become fruitful – in the UK or elsewhere.
Mole Valley Farmers has been inspired by the story of Ammanuel, a 30 year old farmer who appears far older due to the daily struggle of agriculture in Ethiopia.
He says “I want to change my life, to live in a better house. But I have no hope from this land”.
The shocking fact is that, just up the road, Ammanuel’s neighbour Abebe uses similar resources to run a successful family farm. Thanks to Send a Cow training, he’s growing vegetables, saving money and subsequently sending his daughter to school.
Mole Valley Farmers has a long history of practical support for farmers in Africa. In the 1980s it was involved through founder John James with Bob Geldof’s ground-breaking Band Aid project, and also had strong ties with the inception of Send a Cow. In 1987 David Bragg, a Mole Valley Farmers member from Kelland Barton, Crediton, called a meeting.
The group, (Andrew Friend, Chittlehampton; Robert Vere, Morchard Bishop; Gerald Alford, Exeter; Anthony Bush, Bristol; Gerald Addicott, Bath and Kenneth Darch, Taunton) shared their outrage at EU milk quotas, which were forcing them to slaughter healthy dairy cows. One farmer knew from experience that keeping livestock in Africa was tough – but possible. And Send a Cow was born.
Today the charity supports over 20,000 households (over 120,000 people) a year across seven countries in sub Saharan Africa; Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Zambia, and Lesotho. Since 1988, Send a Cow has transformed the lives of over one million people in Africa.
Andy Skarzynski, Head of Retail Marketing and Ecommerce explains: “We think the Planting Hope appeal will strike a chord with Mole Valley Farmers customers, embodying as it does simple efficiencies which, with the correct support, enable ordinary people to grow themselves out of extreme poverty. Any donation will help them to start producing food and beating poverty for good. But it’s urgent to act now as the UK government is matching every pound donated between 1 October and 31 December 2015. Hope is doubled. Brilliant!”
