RESIDENTS at one of the area's care homes will be getting their hands dirty as part of a drive to promote the health benefits of gardening and growing your own fruit and vegetables today.

People living at the Bupa Harts House Nursing Home in Woodford Green will be working alongside volunteers from the Theydon Bois Horticultural Society to plant seedlings and cultivate plants in the care home's gardens.

The 'Sow and Grow' event, which is part of Bupa's Community Crops campaign will take place from 3pm today, when residents will try their hand at planting peppers, aubergines, pumpkins, lettuce, chillies, cuccumbers and five varieties of tomato.

Bupa’s community affairs assistant Elisha Gardner, who is pictured alongside resident Vera Rice, 92, said: “Community Crops has also highlighted how such projects really help our dementia residents.

“Not only does it give us an opportunity to encourage reminiscence about ‘dig for victory’, but many of our residents were keen gardeners before they moved into our homes so it has provided a chance to talk about their own experiences of growing fruit and veg.”