Growing Together” with World Afro Day
- Guest Writer
- 11 hours ago
- 3 min read
The ASCL, NEU and Community Trade Union are backing World Afro Day’s “Screen Time to Green Time - Growing Together” with TV Gardener, Flo Headlam. The project aims to get children, schools and communities growing tea plants, which will culminate in various tea activities in September to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of World Afro Day.
The country is facing worries about the effects of war, AI threat to jobs and the cost-of-living situation but studies show that the benefits of gardening can be as effective as antidepressants. The Growing Together project is addressing key issues of reducing screen time and anxiety, while improving community connection and wellbeing through nature, while also learning about the similarities of growing plants and growing Afro hair.
The project brings together two of the nations’ favourite activities: tea drinking approximately 100 million cups a day and gardening: 41 million people in the UK engage in gardening at least once a month. During the May local elections, people’s voting habits will again divide the nation, but the Growing Together project aims to reunite them through tea habits and gardening.
Flo Headlam, is currently on her sixth series of Garden Rescue and in 2017, she became the first Black Gardener's World TV Presenter. Flo will be giving her expert tips to get the public growing tea in a simple downloadable, Seed to Sip education pack.
This will include three short films to support tea growing activities, from plant pots to garden spots:
Film 1 Seed and Plant — sowing seeds for Mint, Lemon Balm and Calendula (Marigold)
Film 2 Grow and Nurture — overseeing the growth phase
Film 3 Snip and Sip — harvesting the tea plants for tea drinking celebrations
Flo Headlam, Garden Designer and Landscaper says:
“The Growing Together project has come at just the right time. I’ve seen how good it can be for mental wellbeing, getting people connected to nature. Anything that get kids off their screens and into gardening is good for the soul and the soil. I’m a big tea drinker and tea grower myself, so I love the idea of helping people to grow their own and connect with others over a cup of tea. I have never seen a project that connects my natural hair with my gardening, but it’s so true that time, care and water, grow plants as well as my Afro hair!
Emily Bruggy, Deputy Head Teacher Fairlawn Primary School says:
“We have been learning with World Afro Day for the last six years and so we jumped at the chance of getting involved with the Growing Together project. We know the benefits of gardening for all our children, but it especially works wonders with our children with additional needs. The idea of growing tea plants and comparing it to growing hair is just another way of learning and appreciating each other’s different hair types.”
Michelle De Leon, Founder of World Afro Day says:
“Growing tea plants is a great way to get people’s minds off their problems and culminates in sharing a cuppa with someone for World Afro Day. Tea is popular in so many cultures and gardening gets kids off their screens, so we thought that this would make a great combination. Plus, we recognised the beautiful similarities between growing plants and caring for Afro hair: both need water, patience and a lot of love.”
World Afro Day is a global day of celebration and liberation of Afro hair and identity with an estimated reach of 1.5 billion. Since 2017, their work has influenced the UN, UK government, global brands, international media and major celebrities. They carry out research, create events and produce resources to empower people with Afro hair and raise awareness in wider society.
“Growing Together” continues from other successful World Afro Day education initiatives: Guinness World Record lesson, EHRC School Hair Guidance, The Big Hair Assembly, and The Hair Equality Report. 15th September 2026, tea activities will form part of World Afro Day 10th anniversary celebrations in schools and the country.
For more information www.worldafroday.com.
