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The Acacia Intergenerational Centre and the surrounding site was purpose built to promote intergenerational and social cohesion.
Working with Sutton Merton Primary Care Trust, Groundwork's C-Change project at the Centre has created a community garden for learning about growing food, healthy eating and sustainable living. It’s a valuable community and educational space with raised beds for easy access.
‘Thrifty Edible Gardening Workshops’ ran in the garden throughout this Summer, showcasing growing techniques and ways to use recycled materials to produce fruit, vegetables and herbs in an economical and environmentally friendly way. Participants received free window boxes, seeds and soil to take home and enjoy, as well as care instructions and advice on planting, food growing and getting the best from crops - this has encouraged the adoption of healthier diets and contributed to overall wellbeing. The recycling activities have also proved a great way to get people thinking about the subject as well as demonstrating that food growing need not be expensive or time consuming.
Local children from St. Mark’s Academy which is next to the garden have also been able to utilise the garden as an educational space by helping to create a sensory and butterfly garden. The pupils were encouraged and helped to research plants, signs and herbs that would work in the space and attract wildlife which has increased the local biodiversity.
On our visit we will meet participants who are now learning gardening skills and are more active in their daily lives, having the chance for greater social interaction and gaining an increased sense of community.
The ‘Turf to Table’ programme will continue with an increased vegetable and fruit growing area. There are also plans to plant local varieties of orchard fruits and staff will work with the local community to design and implement this.
The project today:
