Last spring, The People’s Pantry erected and filled 42 planters on Carfin Street. They have been used to grow different vegetables, herbs, and wildflowers; anyone can come along to pick the produce for themselves. One year on and with their funding running out, we spoke to some of those involved.

Volunteer and residents of Carfin Street with Fi, third from left, the project’s growing facilitator

As told to Jack Howse | Photo by Iain McLellan

Zem Moffat, Local Resident

I’ve lived on the street for five or six years. There’s always lots going on – the People’s Pantry is on the corner with Cathcart Road and people will walk down my street with their shopping. There’ll be people out most evenings playing football and then you’ve got those going to the doctors at Govanhill Medical Centre which backs onto the street. So you’ve got a real mix here.

Since the planters have been installed, the infrastructure of the street has really changed. Now people will have a pause on the benches beside them. The street’s being used, and not just as a carpark or walkthrough.

One of the big changes I like is the randomness of encounters I experience on the street. When you are out, you will just get into random chats. Whether through gestures or shared language, people will stop and ask about what you can eat. I think that's the lovely thing about it.

Even before the planters came, I was putting plants in my little front garden. From these I’ve learned it takes time for a plant to establish in the same way it takes time for human communities to grow.

I’m not sure that Carfin Street would survive if the funding for Fi’s job went. People are busy with work and childcare, gardening is also not easy for some of the residents. It is a big job to weed 42 planters and there should be someone who can be paid to facilitate that. We want more people to get involved but will they do it if it’s not gonna be there in September?

Read another article about the People’s Pantry by us here

Fi Halliday, Growing Facilitator and Project Lead

I got into gardening through community workshops. All my knowledge has come through word of mouth and peer learning. I feel quite passionately about making sure that others can learn that way too.

The project has 42 raised beds so it’s a pretty big job. We first had to get all the compost in before planting all the seedlings that we then have to water and maintain. I like to plant in succession so there’s always something growing and residents can continually harvest food throughout the year.

Aside from the weekly sessions that I facilitate, I know that folk do things off their own back and instinctively check on the beds to keep the space tidy. A lot of the residents have so much gardening knowledge because of their background from places like South Asia and Eastern Europe where growing food is ingrained in their culture and family traditions – like the Czech guy who regularly checks on the tomatoes.

The council and the Green Action Trust gave us a big amount of funding last year, which was great. It paid for the planters to be put in, for me to run workshops and put on a summer of events. But funding guidelines meant it all had to be spent the first year.

The beauty of growing every season is you get another shot at it. And people can develop that seasonal relationship to growing food while learning skills for life. But we can only do that if we have long term funding.

Usman, Local resident (age 8)

Last year, I helped to shovel all the compost into the planters. And I’m always picking up litter. I get my friends to use the litter pickers. If they say no, I say ‘do you want to go to heaven?’. Last year I helped plant potatoes and wild flowers. But my favourite thing to pick is coriander. I always play out the front, not the back, but the back is getting better. My family has put out planters there too. My uncle says he’s seen the difference when comes to visit now, he says it’s not as dirty and it’s amazing how a small thing like planters can really change the street.

Fi runs Thursday sessions 10am - 1pm. On the first Sunday of every month, volunteers set up a stall with free food from the planters and the People’s Pantry outside Lidl. If you’d like to get involved with the project or help support with any funding opportunities to keep the project going, you can contact Fi on fi@govanhillbaths.com

You can also sponsor a raised bed to support the project. This is an incredible way to ensure that the residents of Carfin Street can continue to take back control of the food system by growing free, nutritoius food for People’s Pantry members and the wider Govanhill campaign. Raised beds can be sponsored on an annual basis for a minimum suggested donation of £100. Sponsors will have their name present on a raised bed, receive photographic updates and an invitation to our harvest meal. Donate through the People’s Pantry Just Giving page with the reference ‘Carfin Street Bed’. If you select the Gift Aid option, an extra 25% will be added to your donation.