By Mencap
This story starts in Feb 2021 during the pandemic, when Bexley Mencap were given part of an allotment plot which wasn’t being used by a local college.
Members like to get involved in a range of activities like digging trenches, pulling up the weeds, watering and preparing the soil; not to mention, planting seeds and picking the produce.
Digging up the potatoes is always fun and there’s a bit of healthy competition about who can find the largest one! There’s always no shortage of volunteers to push the wheelbarrows to the tip and shovel wood chippings and compost back to the plot."
Nick - Bexley Mencap support worker
Support workers
Support workers are people who are paid to give care and support to people who need it. are people who are paid to give care and support to people who need it.
A remarkable achievement
In less than two years, the
Learning Disability
A learning disability is to do with the way someone's brain works. It makes it harder for someone to learn, understand or do things.
Gardening group turned this disused plot of land into a thriving allotment which produces a range of vegetables, including; potatoes, onions, garlic, chives, radicchios, shallots, broad, French and runner beans, peas, tomatoes, butternut squash, and chillies.
I like growing vegetables, digging, weeding, watering and pushing the wheelbarrow to collect the wood chippings. We have to go quite far because the allotment is big! My favourite veggies are onions, radishes and potatoes. I picked chives we grew to take home – like in the flavour of crisps. I have an app on my phone so I can tell all the names of the plants for the rest of the group."
Liam
The concept was originally designed as a 1:1 support project for a group member
Seeing how well the plot had been developed by the group, the college gave them another, adjoining plot of land which is now managed by a band of regular enthusiastic members who help out each week, in all weathers.
I’m looking forward to getting some exercise and being outside in the fresh air with other people. I haven’t done any gardening since school. I’m tall so I can pick the beans that are higher up!"
Frankie
Gardening has really inspired the group's members
One member likes to use an app on his phone to check the names of vegetables he’s not familiar with.
Two others enjoy taking back vegetables for their
supported living
Supported living is when you live in your own home with support from staff. People who live in supported living have a tenancy agreement.
housemates while another is now so keen on gardening that he gets paid by a local day centre to help maintain other people’s gardens!
I like to eat what I grow; it tastes good. I like runner beans, peas and big potatoes. It’s OK working in the rain because it makes the plants grow big. It’s nice outside in the fresh air."
Matt
The Gardening group is part of Bexley Mencap’s Healthy Lifestyle programme of activities designed to improve health and wellbeing, enabling friendships and reducing isolation, to enable members to try new activities and build confidence and provide
respite
Respite is when a person goes somewhere for a few hours or days to have a break. People with a learning disability can have respite from their carers and family, and carers and family can have respite from the people they care for.
for family carers.
It's become a huge success!
The group have just been awarded a Silver Certificate of Achievement in the Best
Community
A community is the people and places in an area.
Garden Award category by Ruxley in Bloom, a local garden centre.
Well done to everyone at Bexley Mencap!
We loved hearing your story and can't wait to hear more about this project as it continues to 'grow' from strength to strength!