Story: Adrian Wynn
The Greenfingers Horticultural Therapy garden opened with a flourish on June 17th. The Lord Mayor, Diane Leek, on her last day in office, was welcomed to cut the ribbon. She said she looked forward to seeing the garden planted and stocked with flowers and vegetables.
The garden has been created over a period of ten weeks from three disused allotments at the Grimesthorpe Community Gardens. Hundreds of tons of material were moved, fences and paths were put in, and a cabin, shed and greenhouse were erected on the site.
John Lawson, of the Greenfingers project, stressed that gardening can be extremely helpful in recovering from mental health problems and that the garden was an important contribution to local health care resources.
Rob Bullock, chair of the Community Gardens, emphasised the importance of the Project to the development of the Community Gardens as a whole, and he praised the cooperative spirit of the existing allotment holders during the building of the Greenfingers garden.
As people began to consume the tasty food, provided by Steps Drop In and Laila Wragg, and the smells of cooking wafted over the site, the good feeling was very evident.
Rose Ardron, chair of the New Deal Partnership Board, was moved to read poetry and the afternoon finished with well-known Sheffield performer, Sally Goldsmith, singing her highly original gardening songs. It was a pleasure to be there.
For more information about Greenfingers contact 275 4584, or about allotments contact John Martin on 250 0500.