
Blooming Marvellous
I’ve written about the Red Brick Community Garden before, back in March 2019 as part of a post I wrote about Beckery Village.
There’s been loads of developments in the Village lately, with work on Building C taking shape, the Bocabar becoming the Old Tannery restaurant and the gradual resuming of activities after the lockdowns of the past year or so. I revisited the garden recently on my way back from checking out a photographic exhibition on the walls of the Red Brick Building.
From Seed to Fruit
Back in 2019, the garden was all potential, the vibe was one of busy-ness, with piles of earth, ramshackle potting sheds and lots of people building things from recycled materials.

Going back, I discovered the garden was blooming in more ways than one. Vince, a builder by trade, finding himself unable to head off to sunny climes over the last 18 months, applied himself instead to creating sinuous and beautiful brick and block work paths through the garden. Where once there was mud a verdant lawn has sprung up, a pond with a solar water feature creates a perfect tranquil centerpiece, huge sunflowers are everywhere.
Everything in the garden has a purpose, for food or healing, making it both beautiful and functional. The garden itself serves a wider purpose. Open to all, it’s a wonderful space to sit, to replenish and to recharge. We all need these places right now, for our mental health, just knowing that people had given up their time to create something so special made me feel better on the day I popped in, when I was feeling overwhelmed with care and responsibility.

Bon and the team should be rightly proud of what they have achieved here. Sometimes they need help, if you’d be interested in volunteering do give Bon a ring on 07980 031203.

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