Garden gets £50K donation to keep helping community

A garden that offers gardening therapy sessions and weekend workshops has received a £50,000 donation to keep helping its community.

Walworth Garden is a community garden and charity in Manor Place, Walworth.

The garden is open seven-days-a-week and offers free gardener training courses, environmental landscaping services, a plant centre and a biodiverse green space for people to visit.

Developer Durkan Homes has donated to the charity for the garden to continue the work it’s doing as an environmental and educational charity, and a community resource.

Oli Haden, chief executive and head gardener at Walworth Garden, said: “We applaud this initiative by Durkan and urge other businesses to follow this lead, support local charities working to serve local people, and demonstrate a commitment both to the local economy and to the environment.

“The two do not need to be mutually exclusive.”

Walworth Garden is using the investment to fund 22 placements on its City and Guilds horticulture skills course. This qualification will give students the skills they need to launch a successful career in horticulture.

Students who are traditionally excluded from the industry will be the focus of the scheme. Applications for the free placements are open to anyone who is unemployed, on a low income, or identify as part of a group historically excluded from the industry.

In addition to the free training courses on offer for local residents, Walworth Garden has also developed a free social and therapeutic horticulture programme to support local people tackling mental ill health and loneliness after Covid-19.

Bill Beyzade, managing director at Durkan Homes, added: “Working nearby, we’ve been able to see the great things Walworth Garden does, and the value of its cutting-edge activity for horticulture and the local community.

“Wherever we work we look to support local communities and good causes where we can. It’s been great to work with the Garden’s team to fund new much-needed training placements.

“This could be a life-changing opportunity for the students, and we’re very much looking forward to seeing them start the course in September.”

The first students are due to start in September this year. Anyone interested can find out more and apply now on Walworth Garden’s website at www.walworthgarden.org.uk/school

Pictured top: The horticultural team at Walworth Garden (Picture: Durkan Homes)