“HEHA is fantastic, the results are not easy to measure as they reach far beyond the normal measurable gains. Thank you for making the gardening project possible” (Goode 2009).

 Jeanette Goode who is the manager of Buller Adult Learning Services, uses gardening and cooking as learning tools for participants in the Foundation Learning Class.  The objectives of the course are to teach literacy language and numeracy, and targets youth and especially young mums. Through funding from the HEHA Community Grant, Jeanette has used gardening and cooking classes to help embed and develop literacy, language and numeracy skills.

 Learners have learnt a great deal and have enjoyed taking part in the building of a garden from the ground up.  Attitudes have changed from; resistance to participation, to; immense pride in the result. 

 Goode says that it has been an interesting journey with learners who love to sit on the couch and watch the telly eating chips and pies.

 Learners are currently planning a garden party to show off their results.  Party nibbles will be prepared using the produce the learners have grown over the last few months. 

 Another great twist in the tale is the excess from the garden is going to the food bank.