“Growing Community Food Together” - prisoners and communities join forces to grow fresh food
The Growing Community Food Together has just launched, a collaborative project bringing together prisoners from HMP Birmingham, community volunteers, and green spaces across the city to grow and share fresh produce. Led by Birmingham Open Spaces Forum (BOSF) in partnership with HMP Birmingham and ten community growing groups, the project empowers people inside and outside prison walls to make a meaningful contribution to Birmingham’s local food system.
Although not BOSF’s primary focus, we believe in the power of growing - and not just food and plants, but also skills, confidence, and community connection. That’s exactly what this unique partnership with HMP Birmingham is all about. Following an introduction to the prison by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), BOSF has helped establish a growing project that brings together people from different walks of life, all working towards a shared goal: supporting local communities with fresh, healthy produce.
The journey begins inside HMP Birmingham, where a group of approximately 20 prisoners are involved in sowing seeds and growing plants in a secure horticultural setting. With training and support, they nurture the seedlings until they’re strong enough to be passed on. From there, the young plants are delivered by BOSF to ten of its volunteer-led member groups across the city - passionate community gardeners and allotmenteers working in local green spaces.
These groups continue to grow the plants to maturity, harvesting them and donating the produce to food banks, community kitchens, and neighbourhood networks - where the food goes directly to people who need it most. From seed to table, every step of the journey supports community wellbeing, reduces food waste, and builds positive links between people inside and outside the prison system.
“This is more than just a food growing project,” says Chris Blythe from BOSF. “It’s about connection, contribution, and community. From the seed trays at HMP Birmingham to the dinner plates of local families, every stage of this journey is rooted in care and collaboration. The project not only supports food-growing efforts in Birmingham’s neighbourhoods but also provides inmates with the opportunity to engage in purposeful, skill-building work. For those inside the prison, it’s a rare chance to contribute to society and be part of something bigger”
Building on a successful pilot last year, Growing Community Food Together is now entering its second year. The 2024 initiative saw community groups embrace the project wholeheartedly, with some transforming neglected spaces into vibrant gardens. This year, BOSF expects to distribute over 2,000 plants, across 20 food plant varieties - to ten community food growing groups.
Growing Community Food Together is supported by Birmingham City Council’s Public Health team through the Birmingham Food Legends Fund, and will continue through to September 2025, depending on growing cycles.
For more information about Birmingham Open Spaces Forum and the work the charity does, visit bosf.org.uk or contact mary@bosf.org.uk
People can follow BOSF for updates on Instagram, Facebook and Bluesky.
