Q gardens continued improvements

Volunteers build a bench in Q gardens

Q gardens, a community food growing project received a township grant of £1,810 to host a community event and to build volunteers a bench in the gardens.

Members of Rochdale Township Action & Resources Committee awarded the grant to the project.

The grant was awarded to engage local residents and help sustain the work of local volunteers in establishing the Q Gardens Community Food Growing project.

The main part of the grant was used to host a community event held on Wednesday 18 September to celebrate the work of Q Gardens volunteers and to encourage others to use the site.

The rest of the grant was spent on building a tree bench that was requested by volunteers attending weekly growing sessions.

Andrew Fowler, Marketing and Communications Manager for Groundwork said: “The event provided an opportunity for local people to see how they can get involved and how the site has been transformed from a piece of waste land to a valuable asset for the benefit of local people. The site is teaching residents about growing fresh vegetables and fruit, encouraging site users to get outside and be active – helping to improve their health and wellbeing.”

Q Gardens is located on Queens Drive, Kirkholt Rochdale and is a community project which is run to help residents grow their own produce.

The money from the grant was from capital funding which is money which can’t be spent on services within the council.

Councilor Richard Farnell who is councilor for Balderstone and Kirkholt said: “I am really pleased to have helped secure funding from the township to help the project which has involved lots of residents who have worked hard. The volunteers wanted to build a  reminder that will last a number of years for people to sit on and enjoy the surroundings of Q Gardens. Everything was done by volunteers and they have done a great job.”