Green Flag honour for community garden

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A community garden in Enderby supporting positive health and wellbeing has been awarded a prestigious Green Flag Award for the ninth year running.

Blaby District Council’s A Place to Grow garden helps residents of the district become physically active, get involved in the community and meet new people in a friendly, informal and safe environment.

The free and sustainable garden is aimed at supporting and encouraging those living with or affected by a physical or mental health condition to enjoy the outdoors. An outdoor lodge is also available for hire as a meeting room, and the garden also plays host to corporate volunteer days.

27 individual criteria were assessed at A Place to Grow, including being a healthy, a safe and secure site and a welcoming place with community involvement. Feedback following the assessment from Green Flag Award said that A Place to Grow has: “Involvement with the community is the absolute heart and soul of this sustainable community garden.

“‘The site is a successful and well-managed and this is reflected in the positive benefits received by the users of the site. It is apparent that there are numerous benefits to the users and active participants of the garden; the community aspect of the site is fantastic”

Councillor Sharon Coe, Portfolio Holder for Health, Wellbeing and Regulatory Services, said: “This award is fantastic and a fitting reward for all of the staff, service users and volunteers who all work so hard to make the garden such a welcoming, safe place.

“We are all extremely proud of A Place to Grow and the positive impact it has on users health and wellbeing. Every year we see new people joining existing volunteers to benefit from the garden, and it remains an important part of our leisure offering.”