Run by volunteers the Community Garden will be a publically accessible resource, from which Preston Environmental Forum intend to operate; being based at Ashton Park will mean that all the activities of the Forum can be coordinated and run from one central accessible location, rather than from a variety of locations. The Community Garden will facilitate opportunities to provide training to local people and groups wanting to improve their local environment; it will enable the Forum to grow stocks of plants that can be used out in the neighbourhoods of Preston through the ‘Greening the City’ initiative, it will allow the Forum to develop soil type compatible wildflower mixes that can be used on a range of open space sites across the city and it will provide the opportunity to develop more volunteer activities thus expanding the capacity of the Forum and what it can achieve.

What we'll deliver:

• Seventy per cent of all required planting beds and growing space; leaving the remaining 30 per cent for expansion.
• The first phase the Community Garden will include the following elements :
• Coldframe
• Compost and Storage Area
• Fencing
• Greenhouse
• Paths and Infrastructire

Why it's a great idea:

Having a permanent base from which to operate will enable Preston Environmental Forum to achieve the following:

* The provision of training to individuals and resources to community environmental projects from across Preston.
* Coordination of environmental volunteering activities on the site and across Preston.
* Growing stock plants to supply the 'Greening the City Initiative' and plant in the neighbourhoods of Preston.
* Growing wildflowers in a variety of substrates, pertinent to Preston, to provide a seed bank for use on community/ public sites across the city.
* Synergy with and mutual support for the 'Dig-In' (Veterans Therapeutic Horticulture) project which also has a site within close proximity to the proposed Community Garden.

It is anticipated that the project will result in an increase in the number of people volunteering with PEF and getting involved in the 'Greening the City Initiative' and other environmental activities.

Steps to get it done:

• Contractors will be used to do the necessary infrastructure and set up works
• Preston Environmental Forum intends to carry out the following activities with volunteers:
• Build and Construct Coldframe
• Fill and plant up planting beds
• Plant hedging

The need for the project was first identified at a PEF development day held in January 2014. Attendees felt that the Forum needed a permanent base if it was going to be able to grow and expand its support for community environmental activity across Preston. Once the possibility of a site at Ashton Park was confirmed, the Community Garden proposal was the subject of wider public consultation, to gage support and opinion.

The project will be maintained by Preston Environmental Forum, who will ensure that all necessary tasks are undertaken by volunteers, or by a professional contractor. The Forum will also receive some support from Preston City Council Parks Department..

As a result of the consultation process, more volunteers, community groups and other organisations such as the Lancashire Adult Learning have expressed an interest in getting involved in the project and helping to maintain and develop it.

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