Become a Growing Mentor

We are looking for volunteer growing mentors

In Richmond Hill and Harehills

Back to Front is an exciting and expanding project encouraging people to grow fruit and veg in their front gardens, so they look good and taste better.

If you:

  • Are enthusiastic about gardening with some experience of vegetable growing
  • Enjoy being part of a community and talking to neighbours
  • Enjoy sharing your passion and knowledge with others
  • Can inspire others

We’d love you to get involved with Back to Front

Back to Front are able to provide all seeds and compost and have access to recycled containers for growing.

In return we can offer:

  • FREE monthly talks from other keen gardeners and FREE trips to demonstration gardens and projects across the region
  • FREE training including basic community development techniques
  • FREE seeds, potato tubers, compost and recycled containers
  • A copy of the very beautiful and informative Back to Front Manual
  • The chance to become part of a group of local Growing Mentors who can support each other

If you’re interested in becoming a growing mentor, drop us a line at info@backtofront.org.uk

Here’s how one of our Growing Mentors became involved with Back to Front:

Margaret has caught the gardening bug!

Margaret hadn’t really thought about gardening, but joined Back to Front after attending other community projects with Space2.  And it’s fair to say that she’s now got the gardening bug.

She struggled last year because of the terrible weather and abundance of slugs, as did many growers, but a couple of chard plants survived.  Margaret was also inspired to grow some  apple trees from seed.  Her favourite variety is Royal Gala and she now has two tiny, but strong seedlings  which she’ll take to her new garden when she moves.

Back to Front coupled with a cookery course at Ministry of Food, has encouraged Margaret’s ten year old daughter to try new foods too.  She even gave the chard a go and is keen for any recipes that involve pasta.

Being able to grow herbs cheaply and cook with fresh herbs, particularly appealed to Margaret and this is her aim for the new growing season.    It reminds her of growing up in Africa.  When she wanted an orange she would just go outside and pick one from the tree and is delighted that she will now be able to do the same here.

“I love the idea of going in to the garden to pick what you want to eat, it’s what we used to do when I was growing up in Africa”.