The Manchester City Council Digital Inclusion team was lucky to visit the Cheetham and Crumpsall Horticultural Society (CCHS) on Friday the 4th of July where they met with Modasar, the Treasurer of the Committee to learn about how they are incorporating digital inclusion into their offerings within the Society. The CCHS offers membership to plot holders at the allotment site in Cheetham, which has capacity for 120 plots, including accessible plots. Members can access the community centre, the café (open Saturday mornings) and attend events and information sessions held by CCHS. The Society also provides support in the provision of supplies for the allotment, as well as advice on horticulture.
Earlier this year, in April, the Digital Inclusion team provided CCHS with a GetBox, providing Wi-Fi at the site for members to get online. This has been instrumental in enabling the Committee of CCHS to facilitate drop-in sessions where members can attend to learn how to better use their devices, feel equipped with using the NHS App, and access other services online. The CCHS has also acquired a large screen and 2 devices members are able to use during these sessions for displaying course content and information, helping to make learning more accessible. Members like Jenny have spoken about how the Committee “really went above and beyond to help us”, mentioning how “they made learning fun and stress-free”. It is fantastic to see the use of devices and readily-available Wi-Fi being used to improve connection and confidence among the CCHS members who may not otherwise have been able to access this assistance.
A regular visitor at the site are Community Payback participants, who visit every week. These participants are often offenders who have received a requirement to complete unpaid work within their local communities. These participants often work with CCHS to provide assistance in maintenance work on the allotments, including digging over overgrown plots, weeding and mending. Another big advantage of having the GetBox at CCHS is the opportunity for these participants to access online Life Skills courses when their work can’t be completed due to weather restrictions. Having the option of learning online has created a greater scope for individual skill building beyond that of what can be done on the grounds and allows everyone involved to get more out of their time spent at CCHS.
The Digital Inclusion team was also able to refer the Committee to the Good Things Foundation’s National Databank program, providing free mobile SIM Cards for people without access to the internet. The Committee have been able to incorporate this into their offering at the site over the last few months, using their relationships with members that they have built over time to seek out those they believe would benefit from the program. Through this process, the Committee have been able to provide 13 SIM Cards to those who were in need, providing them with free data, calls and texts to stay connected with their loved ones. Members like Veronica and Paul are now able to message their grandchildren, and join WhatsApp groups, making them feel more connected and up to date with what’s going on in their own worlds.
The Digital Inclusion team were given a tour of the allotment to learn more about the plots and the people who grow a huge range of plants and vegetables. Modasar, who showed them around, discussed how having an allotment to plan for, work on and develop can have real, tangible benefits for members. Being able to provide additional support through creating opportunities for accessing online services, and getting connected through the internet is an added bonus members and volunteers of CCHS are now able to get involved with. The Digital Inclusion team is very grateful to have been a part of it!
If you’re part of a community group and would like a consultation with the Digital Inclusion team to enhance your digital offer, reach out here!