What a year we have had in the garden! We have enjoyed the first full year of being able to plant and grow with accessible paths in place, proper running water and our wonderful polytunnel fully in action, and the beauty of this ever-changing sanctuary never ceases to excite and inspire. And now the most ambitious part of the dream is to become a reality, as our much hoped for cabin is finally under construction!
We were absolutely delighted to hear that our application for funding from Surrey County Council was awarded in full! This generous award of £114 000 from the Your Fund Surrey Large Community Projects Fund, in combination with a wonderful legacy we have received from Broadwater Care Home, will allow us to erect a classroom-sized building for year-round use in the garden, which will enormously expand the scope of what we can do on the site. We are very grateful for all the supportive comments submitted to the Your Fund Surrey team which helped them understand the great value our community places on the garden project, and to the council for believing in our vision for Farncombe and helping us to make our dream a reality!
We were very pleased that Shelley Lynch, from Your Fund Surrey, was able to visit the garden to see what an exciting project her team was supporting, and to present a lovely wooden plaque to Helen, our exceptionally hard-working Chair of Trustees, and Karen, our wonderfully gifted garden designer. She was able to witness how the construction of the cabin is coming on apace and hear how it should be finished before Christmas, complete with fitted kitchen units and an office area. There will also be a lovely, wide veranda to sit on so that we can enjoy taking time to look out at the beauty of the garden while drinking that all-important cup of tea! And with the flourishing sensory garden just opposite the building there is plenty of beauty to look at, even as the autumnal changes are fully upon us.
We met as a garden team recently to review the purpose of community gardening, which is for every person who visits to feel welcome, cared for and valued as we grow community together. It will always be important to come back to this fundamental purpose and to remind ourselves that growing produce and creating a delightful garden are actually secondary to this primary vision. We also talked about the role of both active and passive gardening and agreed that we want to encourage both. While active gardening usually involves getting your hands in the soil or using a pair of secateurs in the act of gardening, there is a place for passive gardening too, where we just take time to sit in this communal space and enjoy it, sometimes on our own in a quieter area of the garden and sometimes in the company of others. So, if you haven’t yet visited us, do think about coming along to one of the open sessions, whether you would like to put some gloves on and get digging, have a wander around or just sit for a while. You will always be welcome!
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