Last Friday (10 May 2019) Beeston residents joined forces with staff from First Direct bank in Stourton, rolled up their sleeves, and got stuck into some community gardening together.
The ten-strong group tidied up the community garden outside the unused Holy Spirit church on Tempest Road, and planted new fruit bushes. They also tackled the bed at the end of nearby Maud Avenue, which features a large proportion of edible plants and bushes. And they replanted some of the garden outside the Hillside Centre on Beeston Road – with fruit plants and bushes, and a range of herbs.
Ed Carlisle, who coordinated the day, commented:
“We’ve been working on this local edible gardens scheme for the past few years, and it’s modest, but we’re looking to grow it. The vision is for every resident in Beeston first of all, and then across south Leeds, to be within walking distance of a free edible community garden. But we don’t have the capacity or desire to run it all ourselves: quite the opposite, we’d love to hear from others locally who want to work with us. And whilst this needs to remain a locally-led project, we’re really grateful to First Direct for boosting us last week: they were great workers, and a laugh too!”
To find out more or to get involved with the gardens scheme, contact Ed via: www.facebook.com/edgreenleeds, or comment below. The First Direct team were volunteering via a programme enabling them to take time off work to volunteer locally.
Beautiful eco friendly project. We need more.
Nick