Alpine Home Harvest receives Vic Health Partnership Grant
14 December 2020
Photo: Left to Right - Nick Shaw - CEO Alpine Health, Emma Ghys – Early Intervention Manager, Tim McCurdy – Member for Ovens Valley.
The ‘Alpine Home Harvest’ wicking garden bed project is motivated by the belief that everyone deserves to have access to fresh, local food. This project increases an individual’s ability to provide for themselves with the provision of a garden bed, seedlings in the first year and coaching & support.
We have been successful in receiving a Reimagining Health: A VicHealth Partnership Grant that will enable us to continue the project despite Covid-19 restrictions & uncertainty.
VicHealth CEO Dr Sandro Demaio said “Our Reimagining Health grants will help a wide range of community groups, including sports clubs, art organisations and youth groups, bring to life innovative locally-led and owned projects which support the health and wellbeing of those hardest hit by the pandemic."
Alpine Health modelled this project on the award winning Benalla Grow Your Own wicking bed project as part of our work in promoting healthier eating and improving food security in our communities.
During January we were unable to continue installing beds for program participants due to the bushfires, smoke & multiple evacuations. Then in April, when Covid-19 restrictions began, the Beechworth Corrections community team was unable to continue providing labour through their community work, resulting in installation of beds ceasing.
To overcome this barrier we have sourced Food Cube water wise wicking beds, made by Biofilta in Melbourne from UV stabilised recycled plastic. These beds can be installed with less contact, meaning we can continue to provide a means for food production, despite restrictions & ongoing uncertainty, at a time when people in our community are experiencing a greater risk to accessing fresh food due to Covid-19 disruptions to work, income, family & health.
Currently the project is based in Myrtleford with plans to extend to other Alpine areas once evaluation provides us with essential feedback.
Partners in the project include the Alpine Shire Council (seed funding), Bendigo Bank (pilot funding), Gateway Health, Benalla Health, Department of Health & Housing, Myrtleford Men’s Shed & Beechworth Corrections. The VicHealth funding will continue the project in an adapted way, enabling more beds to be installed during February 2021.
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Quotes attributable to VicHealth CEO Dr Sandro Demaio and Nick Shaw , CEO, Alpine Health
Media Enquiries
Nick Shaw – CEO, Alpine Health 03 5751 9344 | [email protected]
Nadine Peppler – Marketing Officer, Alpine Health 0488 444 367 | [email protected]