Green-fingered tenants in Chesterfield have been busy breathing new life into their communal garden - creating a vibrant space for neighbours to come together.
Tenants at Glebe Court in Old Whittington, which is an independent living scheme owned by Chesterfield Borough Council, have been able to transform the shared outdoor space after they secured £200 in funding from Derbyshire Voluntary Action’s 'Feeling Connected’ funding stream.
The funding has enabled the purchase of plants, bird feeders and gardening equipment, all of which have contributed to a greener, more welcoming environment for the residents to enjoy.
To make the garden accessible to all, tenants have also repurposed old trestle tables from the recently-regenerated Chesterfield Market to create raised planting beds - ensuring that those with mobility needs can take part in the transformation project too and enjoy the communal area to its full potential.
Further funding has also been secured by the tenants to buy some water butts, allowing rainwater to be recycled to help maintain the outdoor space.
Initially led by two of the scheme’s residents, the project has blossomed into a vibrant community project, with more tenants getting involved and helping to enhance the outdoor space.
Tenants have already noticed a marked increase in bird activity and have commented on how much more pleasant the garden feels.
Tenants Ian and Julie have been heavily involved in the transformation of the communal garden. They said: “When we first moved in we noticed that the garden was more landscaped and we talked with other tenants about turning it into a native wildlife garden as it was all sterile before and didn’t really attract wildlife.
“People sit outside and listen to the birds and enjoy looking at the flowers, it makes people feel happy.”
Margret is another one of the tenants who has been involved with the project. She said: “I’ve always loved gardening and had to leave a lot of plants at my old house when I moved here. It’s good to have help from other tenants as it can be harder for me to garden now and we help each other out with equipment, plants and different tasks. Carl, one of my neighbours at Glebe Court, has helped me with planting and watering. Some of us will have trips out to the garden centre too, to choose plants for the garden.
“I can see the garden from my flat window and it looks nice. We have more wildlife in the garden now too, including birds, squirrels and even an owl who visits.”
Councillor Jean Innes, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for housing, said: “It’s been fantastic to see tenants at Glebe Court coming together to transform their communal garden and I’m looking forward to visiting soon so I can see what they have achieved.
“As well as creating a more vibrant area, this project has also created opportunities to socialise more, with tenants gathering more frequently than they usually would to work collaboratively to create a space that they can all enjoy together.
“As part of our commitment to tackling loneliness and social isolation, all of our independent living schemes offer communal areas to allow residents to come together, so it’s great to see that this space is being enjoyed and the tenants are transforming it into an area that they can be proud of.”
Encouraged by the success of the initial improvements, tenants are now applying for additional funding to allow them to continue working together to develop the garden.
