A vast complex of derelict greenhouses has been brought back into use by a social food enterprise. Food Works, in Sheffield, has been permitted to use the former Norton Nurseries site in Graves Park.
With almost half of UK vegetables and more than 80% of fruit currently imported, Food Works hopes to provide more homegrown produce for the city. Crops grown at the site will be used at its cafes and kitchens, while plants from the nursery will be given to schools and other groups to grow their own.
The glasshouses, which were opened in 1983, were originally used to grow and supply bedding plants for Sheffield parks. This stopped in the mid-1990s amid high running costs and dwindling demand for bedding plants.
After being granted permission to use the site, Food Works began preparing the soil in October and has already started filling the space with greenery. "It's amazing. We've just done an hour and now there are 18 meters of beautiful wa wa ga choi ready to grow and feed people," said volunteer Beth Cooper.
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