The University of Sussex’s allotment, located near Brighthelm student residences will be possibly receiving a £20,000 funding to further develop the site.
This is part of an ongoing project of National Students’ Union (NUS), which aims at creating and improving growing spaces across several campuses in the country.
Various others student union’s in the country, are being encouraged to join the project, which will be, then, presented to the National Lottery Fund in order to ask for £300,000 to develop allotments and growing sites on their campuses.
Sussex has been selected to participate and intends to improve their grounds and resources.
According to Operations Officer, Biz Bliss, the money would be put towards buying a better rainwater harvesting system, acquiring a shed with a stove, new tools (as some were robbed recently), a pizza oven and creating a forest garden to plant fruit trees.
This improvement hopes to incite more participation from students and staff interested in growing fruit, vegetables and cooking and the creation of educational programmes.
Operations Officer adds: “with our links to catering outlets and student-led societies on campus, we could hold events that raise awareness about local food production.
“With so many academic subjects being taught at Sussex that link into food production, it would be great to promote a space in which we can teach people more practical skills concerning the way that we eat.”
The university has agreed to donate some money to the cause as part of the institution’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
Third-year American Studies and Politics student at Sussex shows her excitment: “I think this is a really good idea. Students are not aware of the existence of the allotment and developing it can bring more people to work on the site.
“This could be the start of something really innovative and important for students and the university in general.”
“There are also other plans afoot to make Sussex a much more environmentally sustainable institution, and this scheme will contribute to that and give extra impetus to this broader goal.”, concludes Biz.
Other than atracting more people, this space would also serve as a platform to get closer and more engaged with the local community.