DOZENS of Holderness residents have offered up their gardens as part of a project to ensure people have access to a healthier diet.
Work has started on the £50,000 project to create a patchwork farm in Withernsea and South East Holderness.
The project is the idea of the Southern Holderness Resource Centre (Shores), which secured the funding from Santander.
Jayne Nendick, chief executive at Shores, said the money would be used by Shores Homecare, which provides home care and support to people in the community who are limited in their ability through ill health and frailty.
She said: "We've been receiving enquiries almost every day from people wanting to volunteer.
"It's a bit like during the war when everybody was growing vegetables to help each other.
"With it being winter, now we are doing all the groundwork."
The idea came from residents asking about garden services and practical help to maintain independent living.
Staff at the centre found many vulnerable people were not getting their five-a-day allocation of fruit and vegetables.
Jayne said: "The project will combine the principle of maintaining gardens and developing a patchwork farm.
"We will convert part of people's gardens to grow fruit and vegetables.
"They will get some of the fruit and vegetables with surplus going out to other people in the area."
The funding will be used to pay for the equipment and a gardener needed to run the service.
Seedlings will be grown at the Shores Centre in Seaside Road and transferred to the gardens of people taking part in the project.
Jayne said: "It will help individuals maintain independent living. It is a project I hope will go on for years and years."
The project has been praised by Withernsea Town Mayor Councillor Kevan Hough.
He said: "I wish Jayne and everyone at Shores every success with it. It seems to be win-win for everyone.
"If you look at it from the point of view of the older people, it will see them get visitors and healthy food."
To find out more about the project, call 01964 615190 or pop into the Shores centre, 29-31 Seaside Road, Withernsea.
