7 December 2020

New veggie beds for bushfire affected gardens

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Steve Smith, Terry McGee, Annette Greer and Collette Blacklock show off a new garden bed.

From left: Steve Smith, Terry McGee, Annette Greer and Collette Blacklock in the garden at SAGE. Photo: Supplied.

An ongoing partnership between a community foundation and Moruya’s SAGE organisation will see more than 30 people who lost their cherished veggie gardens in the Black Summer bushfires receive help to resprout.

The IMB Bank Community Foundation has announced it will continue to fund SAGE’s popular Veggies for All program across the Eurobodalla, with the next rollout of $15,000 targeting bushfire-affected people.

SAGE Veggies for All program coordinator Kathryn Maxwell welcomes the grant and said her dedicated team of volunteers are keen to start working on the new program.

READ ALSO Volunteers keep the SAGE heart beating

“The IMB Bank Community Foundation’s continued support for the backyard and community veggie growing program has helped many people reap the benefits of growing their own vegetables and herbs,” she said.

“With their support, we will now be able to install more than 30 veggie beds in gardens damaged by last summer’s bushfires, and host three veggie gardening workshops. We will also be able to build new wicking beds at the SAGE Garden in Moruya to grow food for the SAGE Community Food Program, which provides food to welfare groups and people in need.”

In the past three years, volunteers have installed more than 200 veggie beds in backyards across the Eurobodalla, built 14 wicking bed allotments at the SAGE Moruya Community Garden at St John’s Church, and hosted veggie growing workshops for more than 500 people.

READ ALSO Moruya’s market is overflowing with produce, but where are the buyers?

“Spending time in the garden growing food is a fun and healthy activity, and it’s rewarding to help people get back into their happy gardening place,” said Ms Maxwell.

IMB Bank CEO Robert Ryan said the events of 2020 have highlighted the important role the IMB Bank Community Foundation plays at a local grassroots level.

“SAGE’s Veggies for All is a great example of a South Coast community group stepping up to help others in difficult times,” he said.

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