Volunteers hard at work in the garden.A grant from Broadacres will help to transform a derelict walled garden in North Yorkshire into a thriving community garden accessible to the public.

The non-profit social enterprise Living Potential Care Farm runs a working farm near Wetherby that provides outdoor opportuties for adults with learning and physical disabilities.

The therapeutic horticultural services it provides have proved so beneficial they have now opened up a second site nearby, which is restoring a derelict walled garden dating back to the 1850s to its former glory.

And a grant of £684 from Broadacres’ Sustainability Fund is helping to provide essential work clothing and tools.

Head Grower Andy Parkinson said: “We provide therapeutic care for people with physical, learning and mental health difficulties and now we hope to work with GPs, and mental health organisations to enrol more people onto our gardening sessions.

“The walled garden will be a space that will be accessible, inter-generational and inclusive, and we are grateful for Broadacres’ generous donation.”

As well as pigs, chickens and goats, the walled garden will be planted with a wide variety of fruit and vegetables in Spring 2024. Produce will be sold at affordable prices to the local community with any excess donated to foodbanks and those in need.

The farm currently caters for 25 people per day and expansion will double that figure.

The farm also offers other workshops, as well as a cabin in the woods available for hire.  Further details can be found at https://www.livingpotentialcarefarming.org.uk/

Helen Ball, Broadacres’ Senior Sustainability Officer, said: “This a is great community-focused project which will benefit many people and we were pleased to be able to offer funding to support the next stage of the project.”

The Sustainability Fund provides funding of up to £500 (£1,000 in exceptional cases) for local projects which:

  • Protect or create areas for wildlife
  • Involve tree planting
  • Encourage or enable people in the community to grow their own fruit and/or vegetables
  • Protect or create an outdoor space for local communities to enjoy

People/organisations who would like to apply for funding through the sustainability fund can do by visiting www.broadacres.org.uk/customer-area/getting-involved/sustainability-fund/

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