After reading all of the wonderful work that MUD do Holland’s was keen to connect and support them with their local projects.

We visited their space at Platt Fields Market Garden which is a community market garden and part of the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) network. As a CSA member, they offer a Veg Box Subscription service as well as selling produce, supplying local restaurants, and developing their own fruit, herb and vegetable-based products. We were blown away with what Mike and the team had created, a little haven for peace, tranquillity and a real sense of community all around growing which is what we do best at Holland’s, so we knew we had to get involved. Mike the founder of MUD really wanted to try and grow hydroponically as this had never been done before so our Manchester team paid a visit to install a Mega Pot system in their polytunnel to house their pepper & chilli plants using 16L & 22L root pouches and organic Bio Bizz Light Mix back in June and they have had amazing results. Mike recently contacted us and stated:
“I harvested pretty much the last of our chillies the other day and just wanted to drop an email to say thank you so much again for your donation of the equipment. It worked great and it's been the best harvest I've had yet. You'll be pleased to know that a lot of them have gone to Where The Light Gets In in Stockport and are being made into fermented hot sauces.”
The Landing is a collaborative community growing space designed and built by Where The Light Gets In and Manchester Urban Diggers, a 5-minute walk away from the restaurant. Their passion for a sustainable food system has driven the need for urban growing space. The garden provides produce for the restaurant as well as the local community. The Landing supports both Where The Light Gets In and MUD's objectives of promoting food sovereignty, community engagement in local food systems and increased biodiversity in our ever-expanding urban environments. It is an oasis for learning, growing, and socialising in an unexpected space, to encourage people to grow and share food wherever they can. We will be continuing our support with MUD but if you would like to join in supporting this wonderful charity there are many ways in which you can by visiting one of their exciting events throughout the year, volunteering in one of their local projects or visiting Where the Light Gets In for a delicious meal. If you fancy growing delicious organic sustainable food yourself then take a look at our Home & Garden department.  

About Manchester Urban Diggers (MUD):

  "MUD was established in 2019 in response to a growing demand for their services across Manchester and beyond. They are dedicated to finding solutions to the problems with our local food systems. This includes; advocating for food sovereignty, being a member of the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Network, providing educational services and growing fruit, vegetables and herbs to make available to the local community. They always use organic growing methods and improve local biodiversity and soil health wherever they grow. MUD is non-profit social enterprise and any money that they make goes towards developing projects, providing free services and events for the community, and creating employment opportunities for volunteers."