The Apron Community Garden is a creative community project in Buckingham Park. Its founder, Lis Long, will be giving a talk for the Shoreham Society in April explaining the ideas behind it and how it is helping local people to enjoy gardening, learn new skills and develop their creativity.
The garden was conceived during the pandemic lockdown. As Lis took her children for walks in Buckingham Park she noticed a wild disused area to the side which she thought would make a perfect space for a community garden. After a successful crowdfunding campaign, a genereous donation and a great deal of hard work by volunteers, it opened in April 2021.
The Apron Community Garden aims to:
- create accessible volunteering and learning opportunities
- help address the growing issue of food poverty in the area
- deliver seasonal events and workshops throughout the year
- facilitate skills on food production, preparation and waste limitation
- provide educational sessions on sustainability, environment, and biodiversity
- create a safe and accessible outdoor space for well-being activities.
The Community Garden is Thriving and Growing…
Since the pandemic, the community garden has been supplying a weekly veg box to the Adur Community Kitchen during the growing season, running well-being gardening sessions and has worked with young adults in the Esteem youth charity. Over 20 regular families who attend weekly workshops are using the composting scheme and learning to reduce food waste. They are also now working to create a sensory garden on a patch of land just north of the community garden to create a safe and accessible natural space for sensory support.
We are delighted to welcome Lis Long to present a Friday evening talk at the Shoreham Centre on April 21st. Lis will tell us the story of the Apron Community Garden and how it is making a difference to the lives of parents and children. She will also have news about an exciting initiative she is working on with the council for New Salts Farm.
In the meantime, you can find out more about the Apron Community Garden on their Facebook page.
Shoreham Centre, 7.00pm, Friday 21st April 2023.
(£2 members £3 non-members, on the door).
