The Beanstalk Project is open to families with children, Brownies, Beavers, Scouts, Guides and school groups - who live in the London Borough of Sutton. Beanstalk Groups benefit from:

• the chance to get fit and healthy

• advice pack on growing food at home, on an allotment or elsewhere

• tool loan

• 'Hands on Learning days' - fun events to learn how to grow food

Our next Family Fun Food growing sessions at Carshalton Community Allotment are all about saving seeds and green manures, there’ll be opportunities to save seeds, make seed packets, harvest produce and sew some green manure seeds as well as taking some away to try at home. The sessions will run from 1.30pm to 3pm on Sunday 5th and Sunday 19th September and first sessions are free. Subsequent sessions are £1 per adult and 50p for each child.

Advance booking is essential. book a place on the course or for more information, please contact Heather or Michael on 020 8770 6611 or email beanstalk@ecolocal.org.uk

There have been a number of changes to the Beanstalk project this year, namely:

- We will be delivering more hands on learning days this year, 17 in total, including some at local libraries (the full list of dates is available here)

- We are starting to charge for beanstalk sessions. Your first session is free and subsequent sessions will be charged at £1 per adult and 50p per child

- We’ll continue to hand out free seeds at the hand on learning days but we are no longer able to give out free seeds from our office.

- Sadly, the council no longer offers a free year on allotments to Beanstalk participants but you are welcome to join us on our community allotment sessions on Friday and Sunday mornings from 10.30am to 1pm at Westmead. Please let us know if you wish to come along to these by emailing food@ecolocal.org.uk or by calling Heather or Mike on 020 8770 6611

To help us save paper and postage please send us your email address so we can send you details of future events electronically.

Food scares? If you are concerned about chemicals in your food or Genetic Modification - then try growing your own organic, pesticide free, fresh food!

Get mucky and have fun! - Children and adults enjoy learning to dig, sow, plant and grow. The muckier you get - the better!

Healthy exercise - Get outdoors with plenty of fresh air and grow your own healthy, tasty food.

Meet other people - swap tips, seeds and produce.

Help reduce climate change - growing your own local food helps cut down on the carbon emissons from transporting fruit and veg around the world.

To join the Beanstalk Project phone Heather on 020 8770 6611 or Email beanstalk@ecolocal.org.uk

For other enquiries about allotments phone Sutton Council on 020 8770 5070.

You may also be interested in the Surrey Organic Gardening Group which runs regular talks and outings.