CHELMSLEY Wood based social enterprise Gro-Organic will feature in a new series of the BBC 1 documentary, Ill Gotten Gains, this summer.
The documentary series, presented by Angellica Bell and Rav Wilding, follows regional organised crime units and police forces as they take down Britain’s criminals by seizing their assets and selling them at auction. The money is then awarded to community organisations.
Queens Award recipients Gro-Organic was one of the community organisations in the West Midlands successfully awarded funding from David Jamieson, the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner.
It enabled the organisation to buy new uniforms, warm clothing and tools for volunteers in the Dig it Crew who work to transform bleak and redundant spaces into thriving community spaces, edible walkways or gardens.
The Dig It Crew is an established team of local people who use gardening to improve their mental and physical health and wellbeing and have been keeping the streets and community spaces clean and green for the last eight years.
It has been described as a “trailblazing model” by the NHS and Solihull CCG who noted it as a perfect example of “successfully embedding health, wellbeing and active citizenship into their community while enabling people to feel safe and proud of where they live”.
Filming has taken place of the dedicated volunteering team at work in their new uniforms.
The funding was awarded after Gro-Organic CIC applied to the Active Citizens Fund on behalf of their volunteers, who were in need of uniform, warm clothing and tools.
Community co-ordinator Christine Gill said: “The Dig It Crew were delighted when they were told their application had been successful. The group, despite their personal challenges contribute so much to the area and now, with thanks to The Active Citizens fund are recognised through their uniforms and can keep warm and protected while out community gardening.”
The new series of Ill Gotten Gains is set to be aired in the summer,
If you are interested in finding out more about the range of community activities Gro-organic provide in Solihull and Birmingham email [email protected] or call 0121 630 2190.
