GROWING LOCAL - Key Persons
Heather established Growing Local with Pat, sharing the vision to educate our future generations in growing their own. Heather brought 20 years of secondary teaching experience and ran Growing Local's educational programme for many years, delivering primary and secondary gardening, horticultural and livestock workshops. Heather continues to assist with the development of the new Growing Local CSA.
Kathy joined us in mid-2022 as a sessional worker helping with schools workshops delivering our weekly Lunch Club. Kathy has a background in social work and teaching including Eco-Schools, and has worked as a Garden Educator in Wales and Farm Educator in Minnesota, USA.
Katie Hardy Grower Katie joined the team in June 2023, bringing a wealth of market gardening and horticulture experience from projects in Herefordshire, Hay-on-Wye and the Brecon Beacons. Together with Laurie she is setting up the Growing Local CSA growing multi-crop fruit and veggies for our crop share scheme starting in Spring 2024.
Laurie Donaldson Grower Laurie joined us in October 2023 and is happily moving back to his home county of Herefordshire after working for many years in Sussex. Laurie has managed market gardens and school gardens and has a passion for biodynamics. He will be working with Katie to develop and manage our Growing Local CSA growing areas.
Louisa joined Growing Local in 2015 bringing years of experience of cookery teaching and a passion for inspiring our future generations to grow their own and cook from scratch. Louisa ran Growing Local's educational programme until recently, developing its food and cookery strands, and expanding the reach to families and adults. She now project manages the Growing Local Gardens into fruition, as well as continuing to run cook events and workshops.
Pat set up Growing Local with Heather in 2009. Their vision was to connect people with the land and enable everyone to take control of their food through buying locally and growing their own. Pat brought 25 years FE experience including running Holme Lacy Foundation Department. Pat ran Growing Local's veg bag scheme for 10 years and now works with Louisa project managing the new Growing Local CSA and Southside projects.
Rachel is a dedicated foodie and home grower and brings her exemplary organisational and accounting skills to the company. Rachel helped a similar organisation flourish in Exeter before moving to Hereford in 2012 and joining Growing Local.
The newest member of the Growing Local team Simon was appointed in January 2024 to job share the garden education with Kathy. Simon has previously been employed in similar education roles and brings a wealth of cheffing and catering experience which we have put to good use co-running the Lunch Club with Kathy.