Volun teers lend a hand at the community gardens next to the Woodmans Mews estate
Volunteers put on old clothes and wellies to lend a hand giving a facelift to a hidden community garden in White City.
The project is to rebuild raised beds and plant spring bulbs in a major makeover of the community gardens next to the Woodmans Mews estate in Scrubs Lane.
As well as gardening improvements, volunteers made bird boxes and constructed a ‘hotel’ for mini beasts during the volunteer day this month.
The work is being co-ordinated by the Hammersmith Community Gardens Association, an environmental charity which manages four community gardens in the borough.
More than 25 volunteers signed up to help from local companies Mace Group, Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB), Portakabin and the Department for Education – as well as by young trainees from QPR football club.
Funding has been provided by Mace and RLB, together with support from Hammersmith & Fulham Council.
The garden is a hidden oasis next to Wormwood Scrubs that has been neglected over recent years. The target is to rejuvenate the garden and create somewhere special for residents following the construction of a temporary school next to the estate during the summer to provide emergency accommodation for pupils from Kensington Aldridge Academy – which was forced to relocate as a result of the Grenfell Tower blaze in North Kensington.
“The Hammersmith Community Gardens Association has been working in Hammersmith for the last 34 years… but only ‘discovered’ the Woodman Mews Garden a few weeks ago,” admitted Katie Shaw from the association.
“It really is a hidden gem and we are looking forward to bringing it back to life with help from the corporate partners and local residents. The work day on 1 December is just the start. We will be working on the project throughout 2018.”
