Grow West is our 12-acre market garden site, situated in Allerby, West Cumbria. It provides essential training opportunities for the young people and adults, giving them knowledge, experience and accredited qualifications in horticulture.

We grow a range of seasonal fruit, vegetables, flowers and plants. These are available to purchase directly on-site or through our vegetable box delivery scheme. We provide training and hands on experience, and the products we offer include bedding plants, perennial plants, hanging baskets, planters and vegetable boxes.

Would you like local, seasonal vegetables delivered directly to your door? Our Grow West vegetable box delivery scheme allows you to do just that!

Training and experience

Grow West can offer our trainees:

Up to 20 work practice placements per day, 7 days per week to people with learning difficulties with the opportunity to gain an accredited qualification and/or NVQ at the end of three years. This is linked to the Employment Scheme.
We have a 12 acre site included within the site area, with raised and retained beds for growing veg. We have a large greenhouse which is used in the production of bedding plants in the early spring and for growing salad items in the summer months. We have a soft fruit area, an apple and plum orchard, areas for displaying and selling perennial plants, a small flock of chickens which supply us with eggs for sale, 2 small seeding greenhouses, a woodwork shed where we make and maintain display benches and a large wildlife area with 3 ponds
Use of the composting area of 8.8 cubic metres to recycle all plant and paper waste produced on-site, cutting down on landfill and waste collection.
Working in partnership with Cumbria County Council, Adult Education and Local Schools making sure they achieve the best results possible.
Increased awareness of where food comes from, what it is used for and its benefits to health by introducing cooking sessions as part of the weekly timetable during the winter months.
Help us increase the amount of high quality, locally grown fruit and vegetables, that will be used a) In our Grow West vegetable box scheme b) To sell on-site, on stalls and farmers Markets c) In the production of preserves (not on-site) d) In our café – Café West
Customer care and cash handling experience through on site sales and during the veg box delivery round.
The opportunity for local schools to facilitate their own sessions and projects on-site to allow for learning and engagement in the wildlife areas.

Growing together

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Grow West

Allerby Community Garden, Allerby, Aspatria CA7 2NL

01900 815003

April – September: 9.30am-4.30pm Monday – Friday, 10am-4pm Saturday – Sunday and Bank Holiday Mondays.
October – April: 9.30am-4.30pm Monday-Friday.