The idea
We are creating a community led, green space in a deprived area where access to outdoor spaces is very limited. The garden will engage with a wide range of members from the local and wider community. We want to create a completely accessible space with a variety of gardening facilities including several raised beds, a poly tunnel, nature area, and communal seating/ event area. We are making the site fully accessible, with pathways, wheelchair accessible raised beds with a range of heights to ensure the main vegetable growing space is accessible to all of the local community. A huge focus for us is to ensure the garden is as sustainable, ecological and carbon neutral as possible. We have recycled waste and reused whatever we can, e.g., cutting down trees blocking a pathway and using the stumps to create a stumpery. We want to bring communities and volunteers together to build something meaningful, and useful for everyone in the area.
What we'll deliver
- A completely accessible space with a variety of gardening facilities
- Several raised beds
- A poly tunnel
- A nature area
- A communal seating/ event area
- A space that delivers meaningful meeting place and helps people's health and wellbeing as a result
Why it's a great idea
A vibrant community garden in the area will contribute towards tackling a number of challenges the community faces such as, access to free/affordable activities for children, access to fresh fruit and vegetables, exposure to green spaces and meaningful opportunities to volunteer within their local community. Presently, Seacombe does not have a lot of community services and spaces that local residents can access for support. Our vision is that the St Vincent’ Community Garden can become a vibrant community hub. The garden will enable us to reach a much wider community than we do presently, which will in turn, help us to identify households within that community who are struggling with access to fresh food and the knowledge to grow it/ prepare and cook it. In the future, we aim to develop a community pantry within the garden, stocked with produce grown by the people who wish to use it!
Steps to get it done
- Recruit more volunteers 31/03/2025
- Clear site 31/03/2025
- Create raised beds 31/05/2025
- Create recreational and play spaces 31/07/2025
