Goodness! A perfect blend of nature & nurture

by Lorraine Gibson

If you’re craving fresh, straight-from-theearth veg to pep up your summer dishes and boost your energy levels at the same time, you’re in luck.

At the time of writing, volunteers over at the Wimborne Community Garden had just harvested piles of potatoes and popping peas and a crop of gleaming garlic bulbs. And there’s much more where those came from.

The garden, created in 2022 in association Beaucroft Foundation School, is a place where locals of all ages – current helpers range from five to 85 - can come together to share skills and grow food which, in the true spirit of community, is distributed in a most neighbourly fashion – including over the garden fence at times.

A chunk of their produce goes to the Beaucroft Café, to the local food bank and to various other projects.

“We grow food to share with Wimborne Food Bank,” says voluntary manager, Jane Benson.

“At least 25 per cent of all we grow goes there to add to the super parcels of food it provides. Plus, we send produce to the Wimborne Community Kitchen.

“Volunteers also use some of the produce for themselves and whatever is left we very

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happily set out and give to anyone, asking only for a contribution.”

It’s not about making money, it’s about helping people.

“This sort of transaction often takes place ‘over the fence’. We have a public footpath running alongside the garden and people stop for a chat as they walk along.”

Jane adds: “We run under the charity, Faithworks and are also linked to Beaucroft College; excitingly, as they are now in their new premises just opposite us, the students can come to the garden every day.

“We have been planting lettuces, putting petunias in pots together and when their café is open, which is imminently, we will be providing produce for that.

“The tomatoes in their paninis will have a carbon footprint of travelling from one end of the playing field to the other. Wonderful!”

The entire endeavour adds up to a brilliant example of social, physical, mental and environmental goodness in action. As the garden grows, however, so does the list of jobs.

So, if you fancy volunteering, all you need is a positive attitude - they’ll provide the gloves and the tools.

They open every Wednesday morning and every Friday and Sunday afternoon. More info at facebook.com/ wimbornecommunitygarden.

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