Tamar Grow Local

Tamar Grow Local is a co-operative Community Interest Company established in 2007, as an umbrella organisation promoting local food and produce in the Tamar river catchment, including areas of Devon and Cornwall and the large urban population of Plymouth. This area has a long tradition of market gardening and fruit production, based on its unique microclimate and long growing season. However, overseas competition put the industry in decline from the 1950’s, with less than half the area now in active production.

TGL has established and supported over 20 different local food initiatives in the Tamar Valley to re-invigorate production through community, commercial and educational activities. These range from community orchards and allotments, field-scale community growing, livestock co-operatives, through to CSA’s, produce co-operatives, markets and training. The project has purposefully bridged community and commercial activity in order to build self-financing elements into community projects, and to provide opportunities for progression from recreational growing through to self-employment.

TGL has networked these projects to develop a resilient local food system. Communities participate (through their local projects) in a network that connects food, with wider landscape management and health and wellbeing benefits.

In 2013 TGL received the Best Enterprise award at the Local Food Awards, and won the ‘best community contribution’ category at the Western Morning News Business awards.