Richard Luscombe Argyle Community Trust welcomed staff from Principal Project 35 Partner Ginsters to Manadon Sports and Community Hub this month for a special volunteering day to create a community allotment.
The day supported Project 35, Argyle and Ginsters award-winning social impact project aimed at tackling poverty in the region, by providing practical support to communities facing food insecurity by helping to create a sustainable growing space.
The volunteers, from Ginsters offices across Devon and Cornwall, built large wooden planters and planted a variety of fruit and vegetables to create an accessible, community‑led growing space to increase the Hub’s ability to provide fresh produce locally, while also encouraging wellbeing, learning, and community engagement through food growing.
Carys Barriball, Senior Brand Manager from Ginsters said: “It was fantastic to bring colleagues together and see everyone put in such dedicated effort to increase access to fresh, locally grown food for families in our community.
“We’re extremely proud of the work we do through Project 35, and it’s brilliant to help create something that’s truly accessible for all. We love joining the P35 volunteers throughout the year and were delighted to contribute a further 200 hours of volunteering on the day.”
The project is designed to deliver lasting benefit beyond the volunteering day itself, including:
- Regular maintenance supported by Pledge 35 Volunteers
- Opportunities for Ginsters colleagues to support refreshing and replanting on an ongoing basis as part of their team and community activity
- Community involvement through the Hub’s Friday Community Café
- Opportunities for school visits and learning through the Farm to Fork Programme
Argyle Community Trust Head of Business Development, Dwain Morgan, added: “We are extremely proud of our long-running partnership with Ginsters and we have built a strong bond with their staff over the years. It was a pleasure to welcome them to the Hub and see their hard work go towards something tangible that will support the community for years to come.
“The fruit and vegetables grown will contribute directly to supporting families experiencing food insecurity, while helping build greater awareness and skills around food, growing and sustainability.”
The volunteering day reflects Ginsters’ ongoing commitment to supporting the communities where colleagues live and work, while contributing towards the company’s longer-term goal of delivering 1,000 hours of colleague volunteering.
There were some special visitors during the day to support the volunteers including Plymouth Argyle Chairman Simon Hallett and Head of Football Operations David Fox. Men’s Supporters’ Young Player of the Season at the recent Argyle End of Season Awards, Tegan Finn, cut the ribbon to officially open the space.
Thanks go to Bradfords Building Supplies for their incredible support, providing the timber and soil for the planters.
Project 35, now in its fourth year, is Argyle’s flagship social impact project with Principal Partner Ginsters. The project aims to reduce poverty through education, food provision, and community outreach, using the power of sport to reach those most in need.
You can find out more about Project 35, how you can get involved, and how you can support via the dedicated micro-site https://www.pafc.co.uk/project35.
