Potter’s Den is a purpose-built site where people we support can engage in gardening, horticulture, cooking, arts and crafts and many more outdoor activities.

Launch day

Partner organisations, local stakeholders, people we support and their family members were all invited to the site last week to celebrate the renovations and make fresh pizzas from allotment produce using the new outdoor kitchen.

The team also had a visit from Martin Evans of BBC Radio Bristol – you can listen to his feature here.

Elena, who is supported by United Response, said:

I’ve found it a very calming place to come. I’m supported very well.

Special guests

The team were joined on the day by MP for Bristol East and Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Net Zero Kerry McCarthy. From 2015 to 2016, Kerry was Labour’s shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.

She is known for being a long-standing vegan and a passionate campaigner on food waste, frequently speaking in Parliament about the links between our food system and the environment.

Kerry was really impressed with the size of the salad tomatoes grown by people we support!

MP for Bristol East Kerry McCarthy

Also in attendance was local Ward Councillor, Fabian Breckles. Fabian showed a keen interest in Potter’s Den and the team’s future plans for the project.

Kerry (left) and Fabian (right) making pizzas in the outdoor kitchen

Giving back

Potter’s Den have been regularly donating food grown on site to local clubs like the Food Club at the Wellspring Settlement. They’re also joining the fight against food poverty – creating food parcels for schools and families in the local area.

Recognising the physical and mental benefits of being outside, the service is now on Bristol City Council’s Day Activities Framework and receiving referrals from across Bristol.

Service Manager Nadine Crisp said:

People we support have been able to give back to their community.

They’ve learnt how to grow things from scratch.

Potter’s Den has given them a sense of achievement and it’s a lovely social area where people have made friends.

The allotment has its own disabled-access toilet and is fully wheelchair-accessible, thanks to a generous donation of 50 tonnes of self-compacting gravel from construction supplier Burdens. The project has also received several grants from The Clothworkers’ Foundation, who provide funding for charity projects that improve the lives of marginalised people and communities.

Potter’s Den Bristol is just one of our amazing environmental projects, set up by our green task force.

Find out more about our green initiatives

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