Grow Jersey has been awarded funding through the Government of Jersey’s Connect Me: Connecting Our Communities grant scheme to deliver a new community programme designed to improve wellbeing, build confidence and strengthen practical life skills across the Island.
Bridge & Build is a 20-week hands-on initiative that brings people together to learn basic construction and woodworking skills using upcycled materials that would otherwise enter Jersey’s waste stream. Participants will work collaboratively to design and build functional infrastructure for the Grow site, including benches, seedling tables and other practical items that directly support community food production.
The programme is intentionally inclusive and accessible, particularly for individuals who may be socially isolated, lacking confidence or who have had limited opportunities to use tools, learn practical skills or take part in structured community activity. Sessions take place outdoors across Grow Jersey’s 13-vergée site, combining gentle physical activity with meaningful social connection.
“Bridge & Build is about more than making things,” said Dave Crocker, core team founding member of Grow Jersey. “It’s about giving people the chance to learn new skills, work together, and feel part of something purposeful. Time outdoors, shared activity, and the satisfaction of creating something useful all contribute to improved wellbeing.”
