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Volunteers working in the community garden |
The William Street Community Garden in Kettering originally started during the covid lockdowns when residents in the street stuck at home, rediscovered their community and made friends with their neighbours. After taking their idea to the PCC of All Saints Church, the residents set about building a community garden in the churchyard to grow organic vegetables, join in the joy of growing, benefit from the therapeutic powers of gardening and improve their well-being.
To give the residents and congregation colour before the vegetables were grown, and to let them know the garden was starting to take place, 1,500 daffodils and tulips were planted in November 2022. Children made wooden painted flowers while the bulbs were sprouting, and the garden remains a focus for the young with the caped heros Caring Carrot, Brilliant Beetroot, Awesome Aubergine and Busy Broccoli helping to educate about sustainability.
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Organic vegetables are grown in the garden |
Getting involved in various projects and promotions has provided impetus to the scheme which registered for
‘The Big Help Out’ to bring new volunteers. ‘No Mow May’ saw a lovely spread of wildflowers and grasses not previously seen in the gardens before, and a large ‘Bug Church’ designed to look like the west aspect of All Saints was installed for ‘The Great Big Green Week’ in June.
The community garden has resulted in four baptisms at All Saints and this green connection between community and church continues with plans to use the gardens as part of the Harvest Festival celebrations later in the year. Angela Brett, Churchwarden of All Saints, is an advocate of the scheme saying ‘ I would encourage all churches (however large or small) to engage with their local community to have a conservation area in their churchyard.’
For more environmental ideas and to start your eco church journey see the environment section of our website.