Work on a new community project in Swindon is underway which will see local people grow fruit and vegetables for their neighbours to be able to share.
Matthew French initially came up with the idea of transforming an abandoned allotment behind housing in Carstairs Avenue, Park South in 2020 and is now finally seeing the plans take shape..
The project has been supported by the South Swindon Parish Council with Parish Chairman Chris Watts and Councillor Mike Davies recently joining a group of volunteers in rolling a huge tyre along the street to the site.
When it is completed the site will have a number of raised beds ensuring there is no need to dig into the ground, fruit trees and fruit bushes and once funding is in place the site will be fully accessible to all.
To enable the project to function, they are looking for more local volunteers to participate in caring for the site for tasks such as tending the plants, weeding, planting, sowing seeds, watering, grass cutting and installing and building more “No Dig” raised beds with recycled materials.
As well as the parish council the group has been supported by local companies T&C Landscaping who have delivered left over topsoil from a project they were working on, Imperial Tyres who along with a local farmer donated the large tyres that are now being used as planters and also Charmaine Scantlebury, Mr Crapprrs Potting Shed and Paul Heapy who have also made donations to enable the site to function.
If any local company or individual is able to help with volunteering or any donations of wood, such as decking boards, sleepers, scaffolding boards and pallets or are able to offer any topsoil, compost, and manure, please contact Matthew on thegapswindon@yahoo.com or contact via Facebook.
