We cycled to Wythenshawe Park this afternoon to visit the Pineapple Cooperative. The park is host to a growing number of eco-friendly projects, the Pineapple Cooperative being one of many. It’s an offshoot (no pun intended) of ‘Real Food Wythenshawe’ and is run entirely for the benefit of the local community. Members are given their own allotment space to grow fruit, veg and flowers inside the beautiful old walls of this historic garden that dates back centuries to the origins of Wythenshawe Hall.
We spoke to Ingrid (pictured below in the greenhouse where members can plant seeds to grow on in the allotments). She is a firm believer in the benefits of growing your own food, and the positive impact that engaging with nature can have on the mental health of those involved in the project. Ingrid showed me an article from the Independent newspaper which describes how a Manchester GP has begun ‘prescribing’ the care of a herbal plant for patients suffering from anxiety and depression. They care for this plant as it is growing and it is then transferred to a local communal garden.
The Pineapple Cooperative is part of a growing awareness of the benefits for both members and the environment of engaging with nature. And long may it continue!
