There’s a 1,000 day window of opportunity – the time from a mother’s pregnancy to the child’s second birthday – which will allow us help families, communities and countries break the cycle of poverty. Focusing on nutrition during this time will help a child live a healthy and productive life. Kerry Group are supporting Concern deliver a programme realigning agriculture to improve nutrition, sustainably transforming the lives of thousands of people in Zambia.
And what we learn from this project will help us influence national and international policies to make sure that everyone knows the importance of nutrition to lifelong health, in Ireland, Zambia and elsewhere. Award winning garden designer Paul Martin will deliver a dramatic Zambian landscape, growing Irish and African foods, which will tell the engaging story of 1000 DAYS and underpin the importance of kitchen gardens in feeding women – the world’s frontline hunger champions – and children.
Paul Martin has been designing gardens for over 20 years,he trained in the national botanic gardens in Dublin,where he learned the true craft of gardening and his love of plants. His eye for design and detail ,has been honed over time and has resulted in many beautiful private gardens ,both large and small being built in Ireland and abroad. Paul is no stranger to Bloom having won Blooms first Gold and Best in Show,at it’s inaugural year in 2007 for sponsor Pfizer. More golds over the intervening years followed at Bloom ,as well as Ireland’s first ever Gold medal at The Hampton Court Palace Flower Show in London in 2011.In 2012 Paul won another Gold at Bloom for RTE lyric fm, and then headed over to represent Ireland at the Worlds biggest flower show in Singapore,winning Ireland’s and Europe’s first Gold at the show.In July Paul represents Ireland again at The Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. This year Paul has teamed up with Concern and Kerry Group to design a truly special show garden to highlight the great work being carried out in Zambia, by Concern.The garden is displaying the positive help,education on nutrition and horticulture can have on the development of children,for there first 1000 days. This RAIN project is showing how small changes in food growing ,on the rich soils they have in Zambia can change the lives of so many for the good. Proudly supported and sponsored by Kerry Group.
Source: Bloom – The Kerry Group / Concern 1000 DAYS Garden | Large Gardens | Bloom 2013
