FRESH produce from The Printworks? Well, we knew they had a garden on the roof but the thought of spuds, strawberries, peas, spring onions, rhubarb all growing only a floor or two above Tiger Tiger and Hard Rock Cafe sttill tickles ToM.
What’s more this sustainable project is being put to great ethical use with the launch of a new vegetable bag scheme to encourage healthier eating in the city, with leftover produce going to the homeless.
The entertainment and leisure complex The Printworks has been cultivating its rooftop patch over the past few months ready to give out to the masses. Now the first of the crop has been picked and packed in special bags by centre director Fred Booth and his team, ready to distribute to anyone living in the heart of the city who would like to up their vitamin intake.
The centre has 40 bags to give away this week, pimped up with a selection of additional local fruit and veg from farms in the region thanks to family owned and operated fresh produce distributor R Noone & Son.
Those wanting to win the bags should head on over to The Printworks' Facebook page and get ready to tell them using only emojis why they should win. 10 winners will be chosen every day starting from Tuesday, August 1.
Booth told us: “Finding fresh, locally-sourced fruit and veg isn't always the easiest thing to do in Manchester city centre, therefore, we're delighted with how the fruit and vegetables have turned out.
“We, alongside our rooftop helpers from the Manchester Cathedral Volition team, have been taking great care to make sure the produce is of good quality and we’re confident people will really enjoy it.”
In a further act of kindness, the centre has announced all left over produce will be given to The Booths Centre to help feed the homeless.
Over the past four years The Printworks’ rooftop garden has grown everything from lettuce to strawberries, beetroot to potatoes, and mint to radishes, and even boasts a beetle hotel and bee-hives.
As well as housing creepy-crawlies and fauna, the project has also seen thousands of pounds raised for homeless charity The Booth Centre and community supporters Forever Manchester, through the sale of the limited edition honey from Bez’s beehives.
The project, which is also a collaboration with the Hard Rock Cafe, has so far seen two yields of honey with labels designed by the artist ‘Mancsy’, with some going for as much as £75 to keen collectors and over £1,000 donated to both The Booth Centre and Forever Manchester.
