At the Little Potting Club all the resources, equipment and refreshments are free for families to use during our sessions, it is free to participate with no requirement to pay subs. As the club runs all year throughout all seasonal changes a hot drink and a light snack is always welcomed after a session outdoors. The club is proud to have the opportunity to offer this to families with no expectations and everyone is treated equally. Participating in an out of school club on a regualr basis is costly for many families and so the Little Potting Club would not be able to offer free participation without the support of its funders. However the club does not receive ongoing continuation funding so we are required to search for a funder on a regular basis. Of which the most common are those who offer short term support. However we do have thoughful and generious families who often donate in small ways and the club often contributes through fund raising but this is often challenging. So our main support comes from the generiosity of it funders.
As we run in a public park we often contribute in activities that support the wider park through planting and the installation of projects the public can access. Such as our spring bulb planting activities we take part in every autumn. Each year we plant out in the park spring bulbs in an area that had been cleared of dense invasive plant species. We plant the same three varieties to create a splash of colour and provide a small food source for early pollinators during spring. We plant King Alfred Daffodils, Tulip Apledoorn and Purple Alliums. These follow each in succession of flowering. Once the daffodils have completed their flowering cycle the tulips are ready to bloom then followed by the alliums. By adding bulbs every year in the same area we have slowly been multipling the amount of flowering bulbs to create a more dense collection of flowers over time.
Many of our larger projects give the children a sense of purpose and community connection. They are mainly installed in the park and so the wider park community benefit from these projects long term.
Being out in the wider park teaches us that our green spaces are not just in our own club area or at home. Public parks play an important role in our communities and green spaces. Growing through a connection from a young age into a sense of proud participation.
All our funders provide important resources that permit the club to run at its best. Many of our resources need to be replaced each year as we run through seasonal changes, such as plants, compost and seeds.
All our funders past and present have given the club great opportunities to offer the best we can and to keep running for many years to come. Funders such as CoOp Community Grant, Newground Together, Asda Foundation, Duchy Benevolent.
Equipment and resources are at the forefront of the clubs expenditure however many funders help support the background requirements that enable and support the club to operate in a responsible and lawful manner.
All our funders who have supported the Little Potting Club have contributed to -
A wider community connection, teaching and education, environmental and wildlife conservation, social participation, social and cognitive development, strengthening family bonds and interaction, seed to mouth and growing food, healthy eating choices, physical activity, nature contact & nature connection, well- being opportunities, out of school activities, breaking down financial barriers to participation, reduce disengagement with positive outcomes.