Greenside Up provides positive solutions that tackle disconnection, social isolation and loneliness by offering horticultural and environmental education and support in informal social community garden settings.

Based on the Carlow/Kilkenny border in South East Ireland, Greenside Up was created by Dee Sewell in 2009 to help promote the "grow your own" ethos and raise environmental awareness. Dee has worked on several public and private horticultural projects, including the design of herb garden planting plan containing over 250 varieties of medicinal and culinary herbs at a natural healing centre. However, Dee’s primary focus over the years has been on advising, tutoring or helping to create over 15 community food growing spaces in south Leinster, having seen first-hand how beneficial they are to those who get involved in them. Dee is a founding member and Chairperson of Community Gardens Ireland that was established to support community and allotment gardening in Ireland and Northern Ireland

Social inclusion has been uppermost in Dee’s mind as she helps people to garden and grow food without chemicals, to consider biodiversity and food waste, encouraging people to live more co-sufficient lifestyles. All of Dee’s work underpins the major community development goals of encouraging voluntary work, providing training and education for social, recreational, cultural, work and personal development, as well as encouraging active engagement in decision making in local communities.
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Dee is an award winning environmental, outdoors and lifestyle blogger, a VOICE Ireland recycling ambassador, a Stop Food Waste Master Composter and a garden speaker. She provides talks and grow your own demonstrations at festivals, clubs or workplaces. Clients have included Tuam Flower and Garden Club, Taste of Carlow Food Festival, Rothe House Garden Festival, the EPA, Savour Kilkenny, the Irish Stock Exchange, Galway Green Leaf Project and Mayo Futures Development.

For more information see www.greensideup.ie