Volunteer at Sacred Earth

Hello, I’m Fenella. I am gardener, sustainable food coordinator and volunteer coordinator at Sacred Earth. Over the last year I have developed two abundant community gardens and a polytunnel here, all of which provide us with fresh, nutritious fruit and vegetables, and create an oasis is East Sussex for people attending nature connection courses and volunteering with us in the gardens. Originally from Yorkshire, I grew up surrounded by, and working on traditional farms. I later studied Geography in Liverpool for my undergraduate degree; throughout this time, I trained as a chef specialising in vegan and seasonal cooking. This made me aware of the unsustainability of the global food system, our reliance on imports and the need for a move to localisation instead of globalisation. I graduated with an MSc in Sustainable Food and Natural Resources from the Centre for Alternative Technology in 2021, and took up my post as Garden Intern at Sacred Earth later that year. From living in the countryside as a child, to the city as a student, to the countryside again in my current job role, I am aware of our disconnection as a society from the food we consume and import. My work as a chef has highlighted how fast paced and unsustainable our food system is and made me passionate about teaching others how to grow and maintain their own vegetable plots so that they can easily eat nutritious, healthy food at home, saving money and increasing nature and community connection! Supporting Mother Earth by direct contact with all that she grows is my passion, and I aim to share this knowledge and love with others.