Community Garden
Abberton Rural Training
Supported through Find Your Active small grant funding, Abberton Rural Training (ART) were able to support the local community in and around Avon Road, Chelmsford to increase their activity levels, reduce social isolation, improve their mental health and increase their confidence.
To reduce the local community’s social isolation levels and increase physical activity to reduce excess weight and obesity among residents, the community garden helped participants learn basic horticulture techniques to grow their own produce, flowers and fruit trees. Participants have built strong friendships and learnt to love their community, with some even tending to the garden outside the weekly sessions.
Initially the site was 6 allotment plots which were all overgrown and neglected. With support from the ART tutor, participants and volunteers have spent time sectioning the area in to an orchard, raised beds for growing vegetables and even a pergola zone.
A real strength of this project has been the collaboration with many partners. Working with Chelmsford Homes Partnership, ART also consulted with community members and services such as NHS, local VCS and the local authority to understand local need, priorities and concerns.
Referral agencies such as Adult Social Care, Mental Health services, GPs, CB Homes, Employability services, DWP and importantly Social Prescribing teams, all endorsed the project to ensure this opportunity was offered to community members that needed it the most.
This garden highlights the important need for green spaces within local communities, to feel a sense of pride and belonging. Not only has the initiative helped to increase residents time spent outside, and activity levels, but helped forged friendships and confidence to develop themselves outside of this group.
Some participants have gone onto to attend further education and attend ART accredited courses, moved onto volunteering roles, and even gained employment, truly changing their outlook on life.
