Community Garden Support

22/07/2026

This workshop at the Playtrail, Derry on the 25th July aims to bring together those working in their local commuities to improve food resilience. We will explore together opportunities and challenges for our local food resilience, and identify gaps in the food system that prevent us from progressing.
This event is free, and generously funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. Lunch will be provided. Booking is essential.

Understanding how the food sytem responds to shocks, and identifying skills and help we need to develop local food resilience plans.

05/07/2026

How do you build a brand and keep a market garden profitable long-term? Meet John McCormick on his organic farm in Helen’s Bay to discover how his team have maintained a profitable horticulture business since 1991. 🥕

By using crop rotations and cover crops, Helen’s Bay Organic offers high-quality produce whilst improving soil health, helping pollinators, and all without artificial chemical inputs.

Book your space on this farm walk, link in the comments. 👇

02/07/2026

𝗕𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝘆𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗜𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱!

We're looking for an enthusiastic and motivated Development Officer to join our exciting new Stronger Together: Building Community Resilience programme.

Closing Date: Friday, 17th July at 12.00 noon.

Find out more about this role and apply through our website
🔗 https://communityfoundationni.org/vacancies/building-resilience-programme-development-officer/

27/06/2026

Community Herbalism at Grow with Grá Fiánta.

Under Leasha's guidance we learned about the properties and personalities of
Lemon balm
Yarrow
Lavendar
Mallow
Calendula
Valerian
Borage
Mint
Chamomile
Rose
Elder
Cleavers
Herb robert
Nettle

We made calendula balm by heating calendula infused oil with 1/5 beeswax and pouring it into individual tins before allowing it to cool.

Feeling a connection to nature and informed about plant healing properties helps us to understand our bodies and health. Community herbalism empowers us to care for ourselves.

05/06/2026

Social media for Community Growers.
Monday, June 15 • 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Join this online workshop to up your social media game. Learn how to create informative engaging content to promote your project, communicate with volunteers and build community.

In this workshop you will be taken through the process of developing a clear goals for your social media page. It would be useful to spent a little bit of time in advance thinking about some of the things you want to use social media for, and who your target audience are. This session will be led by Leasha Hogan who has created successful social media channels for community growers. Funded by the National Lottery Community Fund. https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/social-media-for-community-growers-tickets-1987626858439

01/06/2026

Good for the pores!

Conor quenching the Biochar and getting a smoke/steam bath at the same time.

01/06/2026

What a lovely event on Saturday at An Creagán.

During the day we shared workshops on Foraging and Fermenting from Wild.Life, and jointly created a new banner for Community Garden Support led by Emma from SperrinSoul. We discussed ways to get involved in shaping the policy landscape supporting community growing in NI, and celebrated Conor's birthday! We swopped plants, learned about biochar, got interviewed for the radio(!) and learned about the history of An Creagán. Most importantly we made new friends and connections, and ate and laughed together. Thankyou so much to all who came, shared their skills and experience and to An Creagán for your generous hospitality in beautiful safe surroundings. Thanks to our fieldworkers Kelley Hann-White and Brenda Gough for being on the team, and thanks to The National Lottery Community Fund Northern Ireland for supporting us in this work.

See you at next year's event!

29/05/2026

A lovely evening at Bog Meadows Community Garden hosted by Dawn Patterson from Ulster Wildlife, sharing her knowledge on how to encourage nature into your community garden.

Highlights included tips on encouraging diversity in a mini-meadow, and time to wander about and appreciate the range of colour and beauty in the garden. Thanks Dawn!

Funded by The The National Lottery Community Fund Northern Ireland Awards for All programme.

29/05/2026

We are delighted to share with you our fantastic new website, which showcases the work we have achieved over the past short 18 months.

Many many thanks to our board, to Patricia, to our fieldworkers, to our funders and partners, to all of you and to Pauline O'Flynn for designing our logo and Gawain Morrison for designing and building the website.

Looking forward to the coming year with you all!

Rooted in community. Growing for everyone. Community Garden Support Where good things grow together. Community Garden Support is a fledgling charity committed to supporting community gardens in Northern Ireland and advancing the profile and policy support for community -growing nationally. Although....

29/05/2026

We are delighted that BBC Gardeners' Corner will be joining us at our Forum event at An Creagán tomorrow, to hear what you have all been achieving in your gardens! Helen Mark will be there with her microphone (and welly boots by the look of the weather)!

Last few tickets available here: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/ni-allotment-and-community-garden-forum-tickets-1985995560182