Impact Report - MK Community Foundation - Report - Page 9
“This was a good lesson,
learning about knife crime
and what to do.”
13
School student
“Enlightening for the sta昀昀
but reassuring and hugely
relevant for our children
who are unfortunately
all too aware of the risks
and threats in their
local environment.”
Teaching Life-Saving
Skills with Safety
Centre (Hazard Alley)
“I love seeing the improvements
we’ve made this year - the
changes we’ve made in the
garden with the creation of our
leaf bin and compost bays are
so positive, we’re all secretly
smiling at how good it feels”
14
“This is our only chance
to garden as we have no
outdoor space. We see this
as our chance to be gardeners
in our retirement.”
Growing Fresh Food and
Creating a Lasting Impact
with Stony Stratford in Bloom
Volunteer
Teacher
Since 1994, Hazard Alley
has been helping children
build essential life skills
through hands-on learning.
As the world’s 昀椀rst
interactive indoor safety
education centre, it gives
young people the chance
to step into everyday
scenarios, explore potential
risks, and learn how to
handle them safely, all in a
fun and engaging way.
This year, the team saw an urgent need to
tackle knife crime through early intervention.
With many schools struggling to fund essential
safety education, they wanted to o昀昀er workshops
to help young people understand the dangers of
knife crime, their legal responsibilities, and where
to 昀椀nd support if they need it.
Thanks to a grant made possible by the Violence
Against Women and Girls project, the organisation
delivered 47 workshops to 1,245 children in
Milton Keynes, including 590 Year 5 and 655 Year
6 students. These sessions had a huge impact,
giving students the con昀椀dence to make safer
choices and a greater awareness of the lasting
consequences of carrying a knife. The response
was so positive that the Safety Centre is now
looking at ways to expand this vital work,
helping even more young people feel informed,
empowered, and safe.
Funders:
VAWG project
Community Restitution Fund
David Lock Associates Fund
General Fund
High Sheri昀昀 Fund
Kara Hurley Memorial Fund
Wilson Family Fund
Vital Signs Area:
Crime and Safety
15 | MK COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
47
workshops
delivered to
1,245
children in
Milton Keynes
Stony Stratford in Bloom is a
passionate volunteer group
bringing sustainability and
community spirit to life through
gardening. For 15 years, it has
nurtured the town’s public
昀氀ower beds, wildlife habitats,
and pond areas, while also
inspiring local schoolchildren
to get their hands dirty and
connect with nature. One of
its most impactful projects is
the community garden, where
fruit and vegetables are grown
and donated to the King’s
Community Centre food bank
in Wolverton, supporting
around 25 families.
Since COVID-19, the group has put even more
focus on growing fresh produce for those in need,
even adding special seasonal treats at Christmas.
With big ambitions to do more, Stony Stratford
in Bloom needed funding to turn garden waste
into compost, expand its growing areas, and
improve access to fruit trees. Thanks to the
Cost of Living Grant, and Thrive Give Fund
grant through MK Community Foundation, the
group can now grow even more food, support
more families, and encourage greener, more
sustainable gardening. It has also introduced
food bank users to cooking with fresh ingredients,
helping to encourage healthier eating habits.
The project’s impact has been so signi昀椀cant that
it was recognised with two RHS Regional Britain
in Bloom Gold Awards, proof of what can be
achieved when a community comes together
to grow, nurture, and give back.
Funders:
Cost of Living Fund
Thrive Give Fund
110
people received
free fresh food
Vital Signs Area:
Disadvantage and
Poverty
MK COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | 16
