About Us

Building Creative Communities in East Anglia

Grow East Anglia is a community-focused organisation located on the Norfolk/Suffolk border. Established to provide enriching art and craft experiences, we specialise in outdoor activities centred around our community allotment.

What We Do

  • Community Allotment: At the heart of our work is a thriving allotment, which includes a 60-foot polytunnel in Suffolk. Here, we grow a variety of fresh produce.
  • Produce for the Community: Our allotment provides fresh produce for community fridges and The Shelf, a social supermarket in Diss, Norfolk.
  • Diverse Activities: We provide diverse activities including gardening, cooking, arts and crafts, and social picnics.

Who We Work With

We are proud to work with a diverse range of people, including:

  • Children and young people
  • The elderly
  • People with disabilities
  • Other organisations
  • The general public

Our Mission

Our mission is to combat alienation by connecting urban gardeners more closely with the source of their food, and by building a social community. We aim to build links between young and old, between rural areas and towns, and to get people communicating with each other.

What to Expect

  • Therapeutic Benefits: Our allotment provides therapeutic benefits in addition to being a source of healthy food.
  • Community Engagement: We bring people from diverse backgrounds together, fostering supportive and meaningful relationships.
  • Skill-Sharing: We aim to share knowledge and skills, creating a learning experience for everyone involved.
  • Tackling Isolation: We address feelings of loneliness through hands-on, outdoors group activities.

How We Involve the Community

  • Feedback and suggestions: We value the input of our participants and listen to feedback and suggestions to shape our projects.
  • Collaboration: We work with other local groups such as The Food Bank and Citizens Advice Bureau to connect with a wide range of community members.

Sustainability and Environment

  • Reducing Food Miles: We are committed to reducing food miles and promoting sustainable practices.
  • Environmentally Friendly: We use composting to remove food waste, ensuring our project is environmentally friendly.

Our History

Formerly known as East Anglia Community Arts (EACA), which has thrived since 2018 thanks to support from Community Action Suffolk and previous National Lottery funding. This success has allowed us to secure a long-term 5-acre site with a polytunnel, workshop space, and parking.

Get Involved

We believe that together we are greater and can achieve more than we can on our own. Join us in building something special for our community. Whether you’re interested in volunteering, participating in our sessions, or simply learning more, we’d love to hear from you.

What People Say

“It’s great to meet new people, try new activities, and grow our own food. And now I have new friends“

Mary

“I love growing my own vegetables. It’s so relaxing and calming, away from the hustle and bustle”.

Abbey

“Being part of the allotment has made me feel less lonely and more confident.”

James

Let’s build something together.

Get in touch!