PH Holt Foundation Gardening Grant!

P H Holt Foundation Gardening Grant

In December the Bowersdale Resource Centre (BRC)  were fortunate enough to have been awarded £1,500 from the P H Holt Foundation towards their Gardening Project.  Funding has allowed the team to install a mini greenhouse, buy equipment, re-turf the lawn making it flat and more easily accessible for service users as well as plant seeds for the growing of flowers and fruit and veg.

The installation of a wormery composter has helped us to reduce the Centre’s carbon footprint, as this purpose-built container houses a colony of brandling worms, which consume fruit and vegetable waste, producing a nutritious, rich worm compost; this can now be used throughout the garden. Service Users and staff also brought peelings from home in order to dispose of them in the bin. The compost area is flourishing and has also provided an area for birds to feed.

The team have also purchased gardening tools such as a watering can and grass trimmer, to allow service users to maintain the garden moving forwards. Garden kneeler benches have been great pieces of equipment bought as they allow less able bodied service users  to be able to plant and join in with others in the group. Our green fingered gardeners have planted a number of bush plants in the front of the garden to make the outside of our building look more appealing and part of the local Community;  an attractive border now surrounds them and brightens up the outside of the centre too.

Outside gazebos now allow service users the chance to work on their garden throughout the year, no matter the weather. Service users can now sit in the garden and admire their hard work, come rain or shine. Even on wet days, Service Users are still keen to do whatever they can to maintain the project.

BRC Service User Suzanne says:

“We really enjoy the gardening project. The rainy weather never stops us from doing our gardening. It brings people and nature together”.

Service User Danny and his support staff Elaine and Nicky are in the garden a lot. He loves it and can always be found wearing his hi-vis vest, green gloves and carrying a spade.

Danny’s support staff say;

“The gardening project has become like Danny’s job. He loves it that much, it is like he
Is going to work in a good way when he attends the sessions”.

The project has given everyone a real sense of ownership and has greatly improved service users mental and physical health and wellbeing. It has improved their sense of pride in their centre as well as their ability to work together as a team. All service users think the garden project makes the day centre look more homely. A massive thank you to the PH Holt Foundation for their support with the funding.