WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH “GET GROWING!”

HANDS OF HOPE COMMUNITY CHARITY NEEDS YOUR VOTE TO WIN £54,000 OF NATIONAL LOTTERY FUNDING

TO

TACKLE FOOD POVERTY BY SUPPORTING 20,000 PEOPLE TO GROW THEIR OWN FOOD & DELIVERING FRESH ORGANIC FRUIT & VEG TO LOCAL FOOD BANKS

• Get Growing, a project tackling food poverty & rural isolation by local volunteer-led charity, Hands of Hope, is calling on people to support its bid to win £54,000 of National Lottery funding in this year’s The People’s Projects.
• Voting opens at 9am on Monday 15 May at www.thepeoplesprojects.org.uk
• Get Growing was launched as a direct response to COVID in July 2020 and to date has delivered 1000’s of Grow Kits to families, schools and residents throughout Rother, Hastings and West Kent as well as providing 100’s tonnes fresh, organic, fruit and veg to local food banks all delivered by Volunteers.
• Get Growing is currently not funded and Your vote could make the difference.
• A film of Hands of Hope’s Get Growing project will be aired on ITV Meridian on 19^th May where viewers get to see the incredible work the Volunteers do, growing & harvesting veg for local food banks and distributing thousands of ‘grow kits’ to help local people grow their own healthy, in-season food.

Based at Hope Farm Community Garden in Hawkhurst, on the Kent and Sussex border, Hands of Hope works with a team of hard-working volunteers to grow and distribute tonnes of free food and ‘grow kits’ throughout Rother, Hastings and West Kent every year. The group is in the running to secure £54,000 of National Lottery funding by winning enough votes in the People’s Project to continue this amazing project and is now calling on locals to vote for them.

Hands of Hope is one of five groups in the running for a share of almost £250,000 of funding. If successful, they will use the money to continue their ‘Get Growing’ project, supplying free fresh, healthy fruit and veg to local food banks. They will also be able to distribute 20,000 FREE grow kits to local schools, early years centres, care homes, community groups and residents throughout Rother, Hastings and West Kent - helping everyone to grow their own healthy food.

The People’s Projects not only delivers vital grants to the heart of UK communities, but also raises awareness of the incredible work of the 95 shortlisted community groups vying for your vote. In each region, the three projects with the most public votes will receive grants of up to £70,000. This funding will help make a real difference to people’s lives, particularly in these difficult times. The runner’s up in each region will be offered up to £10,000 towards their project, bringing the total funding up for grabs for communities across the UK to over £4 million.

On 19^th May Hands of Hope will showcase its project, Get Growing, on ITV Meridian News at 6pm. To be in with a chance of winning, Hands of Hope is calling on viewers to support its bid. Voting opens at 9am on Monday 15^th May at www.thepeoplesprojects.org.uk

Mandy Doran, Trustee at Hands of Hope said: “The People’s Projects is an amazing opportunity to raise awareness and support for our work. With your vote, we can win this additional much-needed funding and continue to fight food poverty in the South East. We now need local people to get behind us, to show their support and vote.”

Quotes from previous Get Growers!

“I have been intending to thank you since receiving my kit. I was amazed at how much care had gone into producing it, together with such comprehensive instructions etc. I feel humbled to be given that and have already planted most of it. Thank you to all your community and I will certainly be sharing any produce I can.”

“I would like to thank the Get growing team for helping me grow vegetables and as a human being. The whole project is inspiring at a time of climate crisis and has been a valuable source of connection to all that is good in community. Many thanks”