Michael is a qualified Permaculture designer who is passionate about sustainable and regenerative gardening
Permaculture is a design system to create sustainable and regenerative processes, in this case focused on agriculture within the community.
With this in mind he approached Middlesbrough Environment City who is partially funded by Middlesbrough Council to support him in his search for land to develop a permaculture site.
Their One Planet team were so impressed with Michael’s idea they offered him a 1/3 Acre site to develop a Community Allotment and Food Forest.
Michael was referred to Five Lamps through DWP’s New Enterprise Allowance scheme designed to financially support people who are on; Job Seekers Allowance, Employment Support Allowance or lone parent income support who are looking to start their own businesses.
Working with Carol Sanderson, Five Lamps Business Adviser, Michael completed a Community Interest Company (CIC) business plan and was approved for the scheme. The New Enterprise Allowance also offers free ongoing post start business support.
Michael is now developing the plot and has already set up a Veg Bag Scheme to sell local produce, he expects his first community gardener’s to be onsite in March 2016. This exciting initiative will also provide training courses to teach gardening skills from a permaculture prospective.
Michael said:
“The support I received from Five Lamps has been an invaluable part of the process and I would recommend them to anyone needing business support”
To find out more about Michael’s Community Allotment, Veg Bag scheme, Food Forest and training courses please visit
- the ‘Grown in Middlesbrough’ Facebook page
- email permacultivationCIC@gmail.com
- telephone 07964788147
The New Enterprise Allowance is a DWP contract for people on Job Seekers Allowance, Employment Support Allowance or lone parent income support.