The Big Dig

Big Dig Manchester is a network of food growing gardens across Greater Manchester which are run with the help of volunteers.

Big Dig provides training and advice to community food gardens across Greater Manchester as well as engage volunteers through corporate social opportunities and work with schools.  

Big Dig gardens hold open days to show off their great work:

• The Big Dig, March 2013 - a day or practical volunteering to to welcome in new gardeners

• The Big Dig Eat, July 2013 - a day of celebration for garden volunteers

• The Big Dig Edible Gardens Open Day, September 2013 - a day of showing off everyone's hard work!

and get free training:

• How to hold a volunteering open day Wednesday 27th February

• Fruit Tree Grafting with Hilary Dodson, Northern Fruit Group: South Manchester 2nd March, North Manchester 3rd March

• Practise pruning espaliers 18th March

• SPIN Farming - Small Plot Intensive (www.spinfarming.com), Monday 25th March

Please e-mail Kirstin to register your place: kirstin@kindling.org.uk, or call 0161 226 2242.

Whether you're involved in a yarden, a community garden, a council-run allotment, any other food-growing space or even if you haven't gotten started yet, join the Big Dig to show off all the hard work going on and all the potential there is for more food-growing in the boroughs.

How can you get involved?

Whether you're looking for gardening volunteering opportunities or you're a garden looking for volunteers, e-mail kirstin@kindling.org.uk to register.

Or follow us through:

www.facebook.com/thebigdiguk

www.twitter.com/thebigdiguk 

Who has funded the project?

Social Action Fund which is managed by The Social Investment Business on behalf of the Cabinet Office.

The Big Dig is co-ordinated nationally by Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming and in Greater Manchester by The Kindling Trust.

Big Dig gardens and their volunteering sessions:

• Alexandra Park plot, Oldham: Mon 10-12pm, Thurs 10-12pm

• Bethnall Drive Allotments community, Fallowfield

• Bramhall Methodist Church, Stockport

• Bridge 5 Mill, Ancoats

• Chatterbox Project, Charleston: Tues 10-12pm

• Debdale Ecocentre

• Fallowfield Secret Garden, Fallowfield

• Garden Needs, Salford: Tues 10-4pm, Thurs 10-4pm, Weds 2-4pm (women only)

• Harpers Lane Allotments, Bolton

• Holly Mount Orchard (Incredible Edible Ramsbottom)

• Horwich Community Allotment: Monday 2-5 pm, Thursday 2-5 pm, Saturday 2-5 pm

• Horwich Harvest Community Garden, Bolton

• Hough Lane Garden (Incredible Edible Bromley Cross): Sat from 10am

• Hulme Community Garden Centre

• Hyde Park Community Orchard

• Just Life Foundation, Openshaw

• Manchester Museum Allotment: Fri 2-3pm

• Miles Platting Community Allotment

• Moor Nook, Sale

• Moss Side Community Allotment

• Northern Quarter Greening

• Old Trafford Amateur Gardeners’ Community Orchard

• Ordsall Hall, Salford: Weds, Fri & Sun

• Partington Community Allotment: 10-12pm Wednesdays and Saturdays (except 30th March)

• Philips Park Fruit Garden, Whitefield: Sat am

• Red Lane Allotment, Bolton: Tues 10-11am

• Rylands Kitchen Garden Community Allotment, Stretford

• Sanctuary Housing, Openshaw

• St Dunstan's Primary School Allotment, Moston

• St Marys Park veg beds (Incredible Edible Prestwich)

• Wild About the Addy, Wythenshawe

• Wythenshawe Park Walled Garden