Roots4Life is a community action project set up to tackle childhood obesity. To achieve this we intend to teach cooking skills, horticulture and the importance of nutrition. We also include exercise and mindfulness to support mental well being. It is hoped to include families, schools and community groups.
To find out more you can sign up to our mailing list and we will send out a monthly news, events, vegetable and wildlife updates here
The Baker Centre is a community hub that has been built for Roots4Life by Linden Homes. (See Key No.1 on the plan below)
It is within this building, and on the premises of the Bardhill site that our programmes and initiatives will take place.
The Baker Centre will offer activities and events that focus on health, wellbeing and excercise, and obviously growing vegetables and plants! We have already hosted two small picnics for local families. To date Roots4Life has run a summer camp, welcomed Levi Roots and help community drop-ins.
We hope to be offering very shortly education sessions, exercise classes, cooking sessions in our new teaching kitchen and a community cafe with healthy snacks and drinks.
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Roots4Life is looking for volunteers. We can offer a warm and welcoming working environment, all the right equipment and training if needed (for example food handling) and free vegetables and salad when in season. We welcome all volunteers from all backgrounds and experience - just fill in our volunteer form here
Roots4Summer camp - FULLY BOOKED. For wait list places or other local activity camps please email hello@roots4life.org
Roots4Summer will start on Monday 28th July until Thursday 18th August from 10 am until 2pm. Places are free to children on free school meals aged 7-13 years old.
We offer fun and outdoor activities that will help your child build their confidence, enjoying cooking and eating fresh produce and other activities including team sport, nature trails, gardening and arts and crafts. Suitable for children aged 8-13 years. There are some places for children with SEND and we will be in contact to discuss once you have registered.
Sessions include cooking lessons with a chef, learning about nutrition and healthy eating, boxing, football and team sport, nature trails, gardening as well as this year dance and drumming workshops with a grand performance at the end. We recommend a minimum of two weeks but we expect to be oversubscribe this year so please do book early.
Community Meal Monday 11 July 11-2pm
Roots4Life combine their monthly Community Meal with their Green Monday initiative! Green Mondays is a new initiative set up by Roots4life to support the local community in the aftermath of the pandemic. If you’re struggling with feelings of isolation, loneliness, battling a mental health
struggle or just in need of being outdoors to support your self care then this is the group for you.
On Monday 11th July, Green Mondays will be followed by our monthly Community Meal, this time with a focus on adults. Join us for gardening, gentle exercise and mindfulness. And bring tupperware to take food home too!
No need to book but it is helpful to know numbers so please text, email or call! Email hello@roots4life or text/ message 07470 802379
Green Mondays - every Monday from 11- 12.30
On a cold dreary February Monday, local ward councillor Pat Greenwall came to visit Roots4Life. On discussing how hard Mondays felt in winter, the inspiration for Green Mondays was born. A drop-in session for adults who might be lonely, isolating due to ill-health or who might want to garden but struggle with back aches and pains. Funded by Greenwich Community Champions these weekly sessions will offer varied sessions on growing vegetables and flower in raised beds, healthy cooking and meals such as salads or carrot-top pesto pasta. With tea and coffee and gentle gardening or cooking, we will provide all the tools and equipment for a relaxing Monday morning.
Book here or send an email to hello@roots4life or text/ message 07470 802379
Corporate Volunteering Days
The sun is shining and vegetables-are-a-growing! As many have returned to offices or different ways of working - be it remotely, hybrid or a mix - why not consider a corporate volunteering day at Roots4Life. We can offer seed sowing, conservation tasks, vegetable management, meeting room space as well as a health tasty lunch - all in an unqiue 8.5 acre site. To find out more send an email to hello@roots4life.org
Yoga with Jo - term time only
Our yoga sessions with Jo have been peaceful and popular. They will start again on Tuesday 26th April at 9.15 am for a hour. Jo will be leading us in an hour's Vinyasa Flow, which is suitable for all ages and abilities. If you a regular yogi, you will be familiar with the fluidity of a Vinyasa flow, but if you are new to yoga do not fear - Jo will give adaptions to the poses for your capability. There has been interest in evening yoga as well so please contact us to let us know if you are interested in an evening weekday session too. Send an email to hello@roots4life.org or book here
Roots4Life volunteer family garden session - starting again!
Sat 2 July, Sat 23 July from 10-12pm.
Funded by the Grow Back Greener and Mayor of London, this sessions will introduce you and your family into growing seasonal produce. From planting and picking salad, harvesting carrots, there will be fun activities for all the family to engage with. No vegetable or gardening experience required, there is access to toliets on site. This is a family accompanied event so children should be accompanied at all times
Orchard volunteering day Sat 23 July 10 am - 1pm
Join Cat for our orchard volunteering day and learn the basics about how to care for fruit trees. We will be running through the basics of orchard care including pruning, tree supports, identify diseases, weeding, watering, mulching and feeding. We will provide tools. Please bring gloves, hat and suncream. Tea and coffee provided.
Adult volunteer garden sessions
Cat will be leading adult volunteer gardening sessions for adults over 18 years old. For further details please email cat@roots4life.org
New Eltham Litter Pick - Sunday 17th July from 10.30 - 12pm CANCELLED DUE TO HOT WEATHER
Meet at Roots4Life at 10.30 to pick up a litter picker, gloves and hoops and rubbish bags. Come back with rubbish bags for a cup of tea, coffee or hot chocolate or chat with your local ward councillors. Car parking will be free for this event and we request that attendees use the Roots4Life car park and not park on the local streets. No registration required. Family accompanied event only and children must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Volunteers for tea making and stewarding please email hello@roots4life.org
Also the launch of our exciting new iniative to combat climate change 'Green Hearts Club'. Do a good climate deed in your community to help combat climate change and received Roots4Life 'Green Hearts' in return to be traded for fresh vegetables and other goodies in the future!
PAST EVENTS
Roots4Christmas - FULLY BOOKED
Roots4life are here to help YOU during the Covid -19 crisis. We are working in a professional kitchen, making and then delivering meals to the vulnerable in the areas of Greenwich, Lewisham and Bexley.
The Roots4Life charity was set up to prevent food poverty and the physical and mental health challenges that are faced from malnutrition, obesity and social isolation, but we have decided to shift our focus for the next few months.
The challenge is getting food and supplies to those that need it most. Not only does this apply to those already in need, but to the recently unemployed due to sudden redundancies!
Malnutrition and loneliness are likely to rise in the coming months, so despite our focus changing slightly, we are determined not to stop what we set out to do.
Registered charity No. 1165003
Registered Address: Roots4Life,
The Baker Centre, 245 Footscray Road
London SE9 2EL