Rhyl nurse's African farming roots help community garden grow

BBC Grace smiling at the camera. She is standing in an allotment in front of a housing estate surrounded by green leaves. She is wearing a red and white patterned top. BBC

Grace Luwemba Kamwendo says everybody can grow their own food

A nurse is using skills she learned growing up on a farm in Africa to help set up a community allotment in north Wales.

Green-fingered Grace Luwemba Kamwendo, 42, known to her family as “Madam Topsoil” was asked by Clwyd Alyn Housing association to come up with ideas for vegetables to plant in its community allotment in Garden City, Flintshire.

She grows kale, pumpkins, tomatoes and cucumbers in her garden using methods passed down by her grandfather in Malawi.

She said: “He was my mentor. Granddad was amazing and had a collection of seeds. So I know the importance of seed selection and germination.”

Mum-of-three Grace, from Rhyl, shared her love of homegrown vegetables with staff at Clwyd Alyn who then asked her for advice on growing food for local people including those from overseas.

Community Development Officer for Clwyd Alyn Ricky Markendale said: “She gave us ideas on what foods might work if we’re trying to meet the needs of other diverse communities that can sometimes struggle to get ingredients that might be more available in their homeland.”

Grace kneeling in her vegetable garden next to large green leaves looking down at the vegetables.

Grace said she “has to have” vegetables in her garden

Grace said there are many differences between growing vegetables in Malawi and Wales which have completely different climates and soil.

She said she had been “adapting to new ways” of gardening with drip irrigation, polytunnels and greenhouses.

But she said anyone could grow their own food: “It’s just a matter of a little bit of soil, a little pot, a little bit of water, some sunshine and some seeds, something will come out.”

Although she admitted tomatoes were like “temperamental teenagers”, pumpkins “just do their business” and even their leaves are nutritious.

Ricky smiling at the camera. He has shaved grey hair, a moustache and goatee beard. He wears glasses and a navy blue t shirt. He is standing in an allotment with trees in the distance.

Ricky Martendale of Clwyd Alyn Housing said the organisation used Grace’s expertise

Grace has also been growing vegetables at an allotment run by charity Brighter Futures in Rhyl, close to where she lives.

One of those she has inspired is Penny Pearce-Whitby from Brighter Futures.

She said: “Whereas we would plant pumpkins traditionally for Halloween, and use the fruit, she uses the leaves so none of the plants go to waste and that’s what we’re about, we want to maximise what we have here and how we use it.”

Grace said she could not help but get excited when her hard work bears fruit: “I think of it the way people like football: the thrill of it. I go to sleep, like, ‘oh, please help my plants germinate’. And after three days, they’re coming out.”

Penny standing in front of a polytunnel with green netting. She is smiling at the camera. She has a navy blue T shirt and shoulder length light brown hair.

Penny Pearce-Whitby has been exchanging gardening tips with Grace

After her hard work in Flintshire, Grace will soon have a new area to grow vegetables closer to her home in Rhyl which Clwyd Alyn Housing is developing for her.

Ricky Martendale said Grace is inspiring others: “She’s brought such value to ourselves, but also to other people with her gentle nature. She can really get people involved and get people going.”

Grace worked as a nurse during the pandemic and said that she found spending time in the garden “therapeutic”. “It’s nice to get home and think about something else. It’s good to switch off, so if it’s helping the community I am very happy.”