I've raised £7500 to fund creating vibrant community gardens to support health & wellbeing, social isolation, recreation, education and fun for all ages.
Organised by The Wonky Garden (Facebook @thewonkygarden)
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TARGET REVISED 23 Sept - following fantastic gifts and pledges for the gardens (e.g. enough wood & compost to create 60+ beds/structures, securing of grounds in Halton to create the main garden!!).
After participating in the fantastic Halton (Cheshire) wellbeing activities during our cancer treatment, we decided to join forces to give something back to the community.
The Wonky Garden is a not-for-profit voluntary organisation. Together with volunteers, we will design, create and nurture vibrant community and school gardens abundant with flowers, fruit and vegetables together with funky structures, artwork and sensory areas for relaxation.
We already have 3 Wonky Garden sites: Grangeway Youth and Community Centre (Runcorn); Moorfield Primary School and Halton Farnworth Hornets (both Widnes).
Produce will be sold locally with proceeds being reinvested in the project. Excess funds will be allocated within volunteer groups for them to spend on additional health and well-being activities of their choice.
The aim is not perfection but more about:
Bringing together different generations of volunteers to engage in their surroundings and develop a closer community
Supporting loneliness
Sharing knowledge and expertise
Enriching school curriculum themes (including science, maths, geography, art, languages)
Improving physical health and mental wellbeing
Building life skills (confidence, teamwork, communication)
Having fun and...
Together creating ‘The Wonky Garden’, making green spaces special places.
Anyone can come along and join in with growing food and flowers or simply enjoy the company, watching from a comfy seat.
Once our first sites are established, we will look for other sites such as sports/community hall spaces, unused council land, business land, care home gardens, additional school grounds, etc. so we can then begin the cycle again with additional volunteers and local donors.
We hope the project will be self-sustaining and we are very encouraged by the positive response we have received as a result of our early enquiries!
