Grow Leader Course

Helping people and wildlife thrive

Develop an understanding of fundamental growing techniques and holistic landscape management that will prepare you to grow food at allotment, community garden or small market garden scale.

Delivered over 8 weeks, this course leads candidates through seven taught sessions plus a final day of student-lead practical demonstrations, micro-teaches and workshops.

The course is delivered at Grow Wilder, Bristol, to small groups with a maximum of 15 candidates, with time split between the classroom and Market Garden.

The focus of this course is largely horticultural, incorporating aspects of ecology, community engagement, well-being and project realisation. Candidates on the Grow Leader course will be taught by a range of tutors who are experts in their field and passionate about wildlife-friendly food growing and landscape management. 

COURSE CONTENT:

Ecology for food growers

Soil health and management

Planning your vegetable production

Water systems and plant health

Food & seed sovereignty

Therapeutic horticulture

Volunteer management & project realisation

The Grow Leader course was a significant step for me towards a life dedicated to nature...to learn about ecology, conservation, food growing and land management, but also to shed some light on potential career ideas. The course provided this and so much more... it was very healing for many of us to be around like-minded people in a supportive environment.

Grow Leader Course Participant

2025 course dates

In 2025 we will run 3 courses:

Course 1: Fri 28th Feb - Fri 25th Apr 2025 - full list of dates HERE

Course 2: Fri 6th Jun - Fri 25th Jul 2025 - full list of dates HERE

Course 3: Fri 5th Sep - Fri 24th Oct 2025 - full list of dates HERE

Book Now

Register your interest in 2025 course dates

Should you require further information please contact learning@avonwildlifetrust.org.uk.

About the course

Aims and objectives

Gain experience with lots of tools and techniques that can be directly applied to land based projects.
Increase skills and understanding in organic food growing, wildlife conservation and ecological land management.
Feel able to take the lead in planning and delivering practical activities with a wide range of target groups with different needs
Gain the tools to become an effective and engaging facilitator
Increase confidence in larger scale garden planning and ecological land management

Target audience

Employees working on community projects from support assistants and project officers to project managers (course structured to engage a range of levels)
Volunteers in existing projects looking to progress by demonstrating practical management techniques, facilitator skills and self-reflective learning
People interested in starting a new wildlife gardening or food growing project
People looking for an inspirational change career

Costs

The 2025 course costs £545. If you would like to support others in accessing this course, a Pay It Forward ticket can be purchased for £650.

There is ONE discounted space per course costing £300 for participants who can demonstrate that they are living on a low income (under £15,000 pa). This must be agreed before the course begins.

A non-refundable 25% deposit of £136.25, £162.50 or £75.00 respectively, will be required to reserve your place on the course.

Covid-19 Health & Safety

We will meet all Government advice and best practice guidelines relating to Covid-19. In the instance that Government restrictions prevent the course from going ahead, every possible effort will be made to transfer you onto a different course in the future. In the instance that a participant has to isolate at short notice due to COVID-19 we will make every possible effort to accommodate you on a case by case basis.

Refund and Transfer Policy

Please note the deposit is strictly non-refundable. Please contact learning@avonwildlifetrust.org.uk if you have an issue.

"I would highly recommend the Grow Leader course for anyone who wants to know more about; organic food growing, wildlife, ecology, and environmental conservation. A huge dose of all the essential information, and practical application of that information, required for anyone who has an interest in protecting and sustaining our environment as we move into an unknown future.”

Reece
Grow Leader