How it all began

The seeds of the community garden began to germinate in 2007, when Julie Stokes, of the Town and Bridge Project thought an open green space where people could gather to learn how to garden and grow food, while exercising, socialising and having fun, and benefiting from the therapy of the natural environment, would fit in well with the aims of her project.

She formed a steering committee drawn from council, schools, community groups, business, plot holders, allotment groups, the horticulture and gardening fraternity, environmentalists and wildlife experts. They worked together to make the seeds grow into vision, and drew up a bid for the Big Lottery Fund’s People’s Millions.

Pitting their benefits against other community projects, The People’s Community Garden was put to public on Anglia TV in a short film of which the stars were local schoolchildren, and one elderly ambassador, Dot.

To the huge delight of those who had worked so hard to get it, the project won a Big Lottery Fund People’s Millions Award of £82,000 in November.

Since then, the project has blossomed, with three part-time member of staff appointed in March 2008. They are project Co-ordinator Susannah Robirosa and Horticultural Site Co-ordinators Dan Wheals and Ric Staines.

Lottery funding comes to an end in December, and staff are planning for Phase 2 of the project, with more funding applications in the pipeline and other parts of the garden yet to be built. Many groups and organisations have visited the site, and these will be organised into a regular rota where appropriate. Volunteers will be inducted and may work with less able gardeners to help them enjoy the project.

Installation of "The Green House"