Eastham Community Garden is a true community venture
The Hall has always been well used and the outside area is as important as the inside from a social point of view. We would like to form paving near to the Hall, a small grassed area and a border of plants, a garden of remembrance has been suggested by residents. Residents can enjoy sitting in the outdoor area, this is a rural community with elderly residents who like to meet and socialise with each other but do not wish to travel far so the Hall, being the central point of the Village, is an ideal meeting point. The Hall is the only place to meet, there are no shops or pubs in this Village , we have a vibrant Church community but there are no toilets at the Church and it is not in the centre of the Village. There has been full recorded consultation with the local community over a period of many years regarding the new Hall including the outside area. This has included group meetings, letters of support from the local community including Parish, District and County Councillors. Also, local health practices who come into contact with the Facility. There is a set of Trustees (7 in total) who all live within a mile of the facility and are actively involved in the project. For example at the moment the existing facility is at the centre of all the Covid related activities of this community .The Hall has a joint sharing/drop off facility where this area is going to be and this has been pivotal in ensuring supplies to residents many of whom are elderly and have been self isolating. The intention is to create an area of peace to help with mental health in the Village. We are planning to open the Community Garden on VE Day 2021 (8/5/21).This will be an excellent date when the facility will be planted up ready for the summer with volunteer hours input in late spring early summer on the completion of the Project. It will be a great initiative for the Villagers to look forward to post COVID 19 .
