Young People invited to Grow for It

Young people aged 12 – 25 across Wales are being offered the chance to win £500 to help transform their community with wildflowers. Grow Wild, led by Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and supported by the Big Lottery Fund, is kicking off a UK wide search to find the most exciting plans for transforming a space with native plants and wild flowers.

The successful applicants will receive the funding and support to produce visual artwork, music or spoken word that conveys the importance of native wild flowers and wild spaces, or to sow, grow and enjoy wild flowers in a communal space.

Bethan Woods, is a student at Coleg Y Cymoedd, and part of a group who developed a Grow Wild youth project earlier this year. She said:

“The funding from Grow Wild allowed us to source equipment and plants and put a plan together to develop an area at the college. To get this done we had to develop various skills, some practical for the preparing of the area and the planting – but also other skills such as communication skills as we worked with various departments and we also had to develop different plans as to how we would do it.

“It ran hand in hand with a bee project we have on site so again we were able to learn more about the importance of pollinators and bio-diversity in general. When we then visited Kew Gardens in London Grow Wild organised for a speaker to come and talk to us and increase our knowledge further. All in all this was a great experience for us and I’d encourage anyone to “grow for it”.”

The Get Creative award is open under two age categories, under 18s (12 to 17) and over 18s (18 to 25), and winning applicants will get the chance to exhibit their artwork or perform their audio piece outdoors at a high profile UK summer event.

There is an additional ‘Transform a Space’ award, which provides an opportunity for young people who want to work together to transform a local space using native plants and wild flowers. The project can involve more than sowing and growing, as long as it communicates a message about UK native wild flowers and wild spaces in a creative way. It can involve using different containers for growing, arts and crafts or events and activities as well.

Maria Golightly, Grow Wild’s Partnership Manager in Wales, added:

“We’re looking for 12 to 25-year-olds who are brimming with creative ideas. We’re encouraging young people to let their imagination run wild and consider how wildflowers can be used as part of a project that can transform an area or how they can be part of an innovative visual or audio installation. I’m very much looking forward to see the ideas that come forward and would very much encourage anyone with an interest to get in touch.”

A panel of young people will be judging all entries and Grow Wild is working together with Youth Cymru to decide on the successful applicants.

The deadline for entries for Get Creative is 25 January 2016 and the deadline for Transform a Space is 22 February 2016. Grow Wild will provide support throughout the process, from discussing ideas with potential applicants, through to making things happen. For more information see the website: https://www.growwilduk.com/content/grow-it. To ask a question or discuss your project idea please email: growforit@growwilduk.com or call Maria Golightly 07917 266445.

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