A group of villagers determined to help their neighbours come together as a community and learn about wildlife friendly gardening techniques put together The Well Piece Community Garden, supported by St Mary’s Church, Holton St Mary.
The first part of the project was the creation of a new path that linked the churchyard to the Millennium Green. This provided a better, more interesting route for walkers in the village, all the while the work on the project continued to build up raised beds, a wildlife pond, accessible paths around the garden, and behind the scenes a fundraiser with the PCC for an accessible toilet. Within a year, a composting WC was funded and installed, and opened by the Revd Manette Crossman, and became a crucial facility for both the church and other village events.
During the Christmas period grant funding had also been secured for a large log cabin, and it is now almost ready to be used for café style events, furthering the project’s activities.
A good variety of fruit, vegetables and flowers are freely available and people are encouraged to take what they would like, at no cost.
As well as holding a well-attended regular gardening group, many community events have taken place since the project came to fruition. A VE ‘Apple Day’ was held in September 2024, juicing the apples from the three veteran apple trees on the site, and multiple ‘Pop up BBQs’ have taken place, and proven popular with folk who otherwise find themselves alone.
Other groups have also used the Well Piece as a meeting place or event location as well. The local Brownies came to learn all about gardening in June, and the local Lunch Club held a picnic style event at the garden. Future events being held at the garden are also in the cards, with summer holiday activities for children and parents being planned alongside the potential of social meet-ups prescribed by GPs!
None of this would be possible without the practical support and encouragement of all the PCC, the Parish Council, local organisations and individual villagers. So many have been enthused by the project and come together to help. There is more talking, more sharing and more openness around the village as a result.