A Luton success story that just keeps growing

A Luton-based charity which works to provide a therapeutic growing space, has been given a major boost by the National Lottery.

Penrose Roots, a garden-based project on land off New Bedford Road, has been awarded £413,004 from the National Lottery Community Fund. The award will be disbursed over a three-year period and will help Roots to grow.

Their plans include hiring two more members for its Roots to Recovery scheme, recruiting 20 volunteers, moving five Roots to Recovery members to run the community gardens and growing 600kg of produce each year with 70% donated to local food banks and community kitchens.

Samantha Smith, Roots’ service manager, said: “Myself and the Roots team of staff, members and volunteers are over the moon with this excellent news, we have all put so much into the project and the sense of accomplishment and relief we feel is amazing.

"There has been blood, sweat and tears over the last three years to get this funding and now it is finally here we can watch our project grow.

"Seven years ago, when I started Roots on a Thursday afternoon at a small site in Luton, I always thought we could make this a bigger, better project and here we are. Thanks to the Team who are just the most amazing people I think I will ever meet, offering support to myself, each other, and our members through the good and the bad times. We deserve this and I really could not be prouder to be part of such an outstanding charity.”

The award will also allow Roots to purchase a much-needed new van that will assist them in taking more members and volunteers to gain new skills.

The project provides a therapeutic growing space on a one-acre site off New Bedford Road where members can get involved in growing produce which is then cooked and served on-site or taken away to be cooked at home.

The charity equips members with new skills, helps reduce social isolation, and promotes positive mental, emotional and physical well-being.