Grassroots Community Garden

Project Leader: Debbie Royle Number of Volunteers: 17

Project Description

The plan is to create a space where clients, volunteers and staff can meet, sit, talk and children can play safely. There is a huge demand for green outdoor space and growing space for those who live in the city, and our garden can provide that for many of our clients. The garden is being developed for clients to use in whatever way they want – to meet, socialise, develop new skills and volunteer their gardening skills to grow flowers, fruit and vegetables. We are applying for funding to develop and support this project, but we also recycle, re-use and re-purpose wherever possible and we use environmentally-friendly materials in all we do.

Project Successes

This huge space was buried under weeds and brambles before and during lockdown, but over the past year a group of amazing and committed volunteers have cleared, dug, strimmed and planted. They have laid paths, built steps and created vegetable patches. They have dismantled, relocated and rebuilt a shed and have completely transformed the area. The volunteer group is growing steadily and currently meets twice a week. They encourage visitors to the garden when they are there, to meet on the new patio, relax or even join in the work!

Plans and hopes for the coming year

• Build a pond and develop the cooking space and stage • Extend the existing patio area, install safety rails around the perimeter and build a gazebo to provide shade • Access funding for and recruit a Garden Coordinator in order to increase client involvement and participation in planning future developments

Appreciation: we would like to thank…

Funders: Magdalen College Oxford, Catalent “The Garden Gang” - our wonderful team of volunteers, without whom none of this would have been possible!

Despite the modest contribution to the project, I feel very proud and self-satisfied. This project was a shift for me. It’s the first activity I join in after moving to the UK. I felt useless and lonely, but participating in this project helped me regain self-confidence. Also, it allows me to return “ to practising architecture after a long hiatus due to years of war and displacement. The project team welcomed me warmly and helped me integrate into the team quickly. Just being in the garden and looking at the significant development that has taken place from the beginning of the project until now makes me feel satisfied and proud. For me, this project is a complete psychotherapy journey. Bilal Hazzouri, volunteer “

Helping each other and being a team - a team with variety I like how the younger members are strong and help do the heavy stuff

I like nature - the plants - and the people I like planting and talking and then relaxing afterwards Creating a new garden for refugees; making a safe and beautiful space for positive mental health

Meeting new people with a shared interest in gardening Caring, diversity, challenging, physical exercise, changes through the seasons, hope for the future

The lots of different conversations Optimism that something lovely comes out of a waste land The potential good that can come out of this garden is massive - for everyone at the Refugee Forum.