Posted on 09 August 2022
Green-fingered volunteers visited our Kennington Park community garden to add to the transformation of the estate’s communal areas.
As part of the ongoing Green Escape project, around 40 volunteers from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), took on some more of the garden restoration work.
After a morning briefing from our project partners Urban Growth, the volunteers got to work chopping hedges, moving plant bedding and even building wood frames around a communal pond. Urban Growth often work with other organisations looking to volunteer and improve green areas around London.
Volunteer Rachel said: “We wanted to get out and about and do something where we can see the difference that we’ve made. We’re quite a big team and we just spend the whole time in a virtual world, so it’s nice to do something a bit more physical and grounded.”
There’s already been a shared BBQ and new seating areas installed, as well as planting on raised beds. There are even plans to grow a living wall on the estate. June O’Mahoney lives on the estate and has been instrumental in getting the project going and encouraging other locals to take part.
June said: “The new gardens have had a really positive effect on people’s lives and mental health. One person does yoga in the mornings and I’ve seen some set up a badminton net and play. I see people regularly sitting and relaxing. It’s really nice.”
The project has received funding from Hyde Foundation. It’s due to run up until the end of the year. We’ll revisit the finished site then to see the final results.