A new community garden, which has helped to support vulnerable adults, has been officially opened by Telford and Wrekin’s Mayor, Councillor Raj Mehta.
The Myford Meadow Community Garden has been created on land in Lightmoor village, which is being developed by Bournville Village Trust and Homes England.
As well as a variety of wild flowers and plants, the garden features picnic benches, hedgehog boxes, insect houses and fairy doors from the Skills and Enterprise Hub.
The Hub is part of Telford and Wrekin Council’s My Options –Activity, Wellbeing and Care Services which provides support to vulnerable people, including those with learning disabilities, mental health needs, care leavers and older people.
Housing association and charity Bournville Village Trust, which co-ordinated the creation of the garden with help from village residents, hope it will bring the community together.
Fleur Hemming, Community Development and Involvement Manager at Bournville Village Trust, said: “The garden is very close to the latest development of homes in Lightmoor, so we hope it will act as a way of connecting the newest residents to the rest of the village.
“We have purposefully left some planters free for members of the community to use as they wish, and we hope the garden will become a focal point for events and activities in the future. It has been a pleasure working with the Skills and Enterprise Hub too, whose members have brought the garden to life with their fantastic pieces of woodwork.”
Jennifer Tinkler, Service Leader at My Options – Skills and Enterprise Hub, said: “We were really pleased to be invited by Bournville Village Trust to be part of this project as it allows our customers to practice their skills and showcase the wonderful products that they produce.”
The garden has been partly funded by the Green Xchange and Councillor Raj’s Community Fund.
Lightmoor village, a joint venture between Bournville Village Trust and Homes England, is currently home to over 1,000 people. It includes a community centre, primary school and nursery, an extra care housing scheme and two parks, and will feature 1,000 homes once building work is complete.
Bournville Village Trust is a charity and housing organisation founded by chocolate maker and philanthropist George Cadbury in 1900.
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