Green Fingered Grace Aims to Inspire Interest at Local Allotment Schemes

Resident Grace Luwemba Kamwendo, a mum of three and nurse from Rhyl, is determined to use her knowledge and passion for growing food to inspire participation and encourage interest in local community allotments and garden projects.

Grace Luwemba Kamwendo has enjoyed nurturing plants and growing her own food since childhood. She grew up in rural Zomba Thondwe, Malawi and developed a passion for tending to fruits and vegetables on her family farm.

Since moving into her current home in November 2024, Grace has enlisted the help of her three children Hannah, Hilda and MJ, plus some of their friends, to create a garden which is bursting with nutritious goodness; kale, pumpkins, cabbages, tomatoes, cucumbers and more! Grace and her children enjoy the process of planting seedlings and seeing the emergence of fresh foods and focus on growing produce which can be incorporated into their daily meals.

In addition to the creation of a burgeoning vegetable garden at home, Grace is keen to share her passion and expertise. Her love of growing food has spurred Grace to get involved with several community development schemes, where she volunteers, passes on her knowledge and guides on local allotments and gardening projects.

“Until I was 18, I lived on a 90-acre family farm in Zomba Thondwe, Malawi. Growing vegetables makes me feel close to my childhood home and helps me reconnect with nature.”

Grace Luwemba Kamwendo

ClwydAlyn Resident

Grace moved into a ClwydAlyn property in 2024. Following a chance meeting with Ricky Markendale, where Grace shared details of her keen interest in growing food, she became instrumental in helping ClwydAlyn’s Community Development Team to start establishing an allotment at Garden City. The ongoing large allotment project near the Northern Gateway development of homes in Deeside, is being created for the whole neighbourhood to get involved in. Grace organised the selection and planting of a variety of hardy vegetables and plants. She chose ‘beginner friendly’ options so everyone could join in, regardless of their prior knowledge or skill level.

“Grace’s help and knowledge has been invaluable in helping to set-up our community allotment at Garden City. We’re incredibly thankful for all the support she’s given; Grace’s positivity, passion and enthusiasm for creating home-grown foods are infectious!”

Ricky Markendale

Community Development Officer

As a dedicated volunteer Grace currently helps at the allotment scheme at Brighter Futures in Rhyl, alongside Penny Pearce-Whitby and the Postcode Gardener Project. She also supports in the community garden at North Wales Women’s Centre on Water Street in Rhyl. With an invaluable understanding of what vegetables and fruits will grow in different circumstances; Grace is a keen cook and an enthusiastic advocate of garden to table; growing food items which she uses in many of her own recipes and gives to members of her local community. Grace’s partner Joe and her mum also enjoy the delicious produce she collects from the garden and have nicked-named her ‘Madam Tipsoil’.

“Apart from nursing all I know is this, being close to nature. I love nursing and my job, but it can be very demanding sometimes. My plants, they change everything, and I love to come and tend to them after a day at work. My grandfather used to tell me, go into the fields, learn how it’s done and then you can pass on that knowledge. And that’s what I hope I am doing – sharing my love of plants and growing food with my community.”

Grace

ClwydAlyn Resident

For more information about getting involved with a local allotment or garden project contact:

To volunteer at the Postcode Gardener Project in Rhyl contact, Brighter Futures: brighterfuturesrhyl.co.uk – Brighter Futures Rhyl

The North Wales Women’s Centre is currently looking for Gardening Volunteers to support the Gardening Club on a Monday afternoon. If you would like to be involved, get in touch with Lucy on: Lucy.Chard@northwaleswomenscentre.co.uk

To get involved with the ClwydAlyn Garden City Community Allotment project in Deeside, Flintshire, email: Hannah Burton Hannah.Burton@clwydalyn.co.uk or Ricky Markendale Ricky.Markendale@clwydalyn.co.uk

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