Communal garden used by vulnerable families improved

Three Rivers District Council (TRDC) officers and its partners recently worked collaboratively to improve the Lincoln Drive Garden Natural Space at the Lincoln Drive temporary accommodation unit in South Oxhey.

The private building is owned by TRDC and managed by Watford Community Housing and is used to house up to 20 vulnerable families temporarily while permanent accommodation is sought.

The council’s housing team and Play Rangers – who provide council-funded summer activities for children in the district - volunteered to paint the mural of a flower meadow while Caloo, a play area installation company, completed the revamp works at the communal garden, which includes new play equipment, willow tunnels, bug hotels, a chalk station, outdoor whiteboard and storytelling area along with the plants for the planters.

Any leftover materials, such as plywood, willow, plant pots and paint, will be re-used for future art-related activities and to fill in the bug hotels.

New Hope – a Watford-based charity that works with people who are experiencing homelessness – gave families a planting session which included information on how flowers help to pollinate vegetables and the benefits of gardening to wellbeing and health. New Hope is providing a monthly engagement session around the garden which will focus on art, planting and education.

Carpenders Park Garden Centre and Plant Nursery supplied all the plants and compost for the garden and kindly donated tools and gloves for the planting session.

Joanne Wagstaffe, Chief Executive of TRDC, said: “This is great community spirit and excellent collaborative working with our partners. It’s fantastic that our staff and partners can work together and create a safe and lovely communal space for those who are going through a tough time.”

Sotira Pamphile, Lettings Manager for Watford Community Housing, said: “Refurbishing the communal garden has proved to be a great opportunity for collaborative working with TRDC, Caloo, New Hope and our other partners.

“By working together to upgrade the garden facilities we have been able to provide those living in temporary accommodation with the opportunity to engage in a wide range of outdoor activities, such as gardening and creating a bug hotel.

“We believe that this will help to foster an improved sense of community for those who call Lincoln Drive their temporary home.”

Ian Bond, Manager of Cultivate for New Hope, said: “Being in nature meets so many of our needs.  It is restorative, encourages belonging and offers meaning and purpose.

“Thank you to Three Rivers District Council and its partners as well as Carpenders Park Garden Centre and Plant Nursery for their generous donation of plants and materials which have made the planting up of the therapeutic garden possible.”

PHOTO CAPTION 1: New Hope and Three Rivers District Council members used the new planters and donated tools to host a gardening session for the tenants of the temporary unit.

PHOTO CAPTION 2: A bug hotel and new play equipment was installed at the communal garden.

PHOTO CAPTION 3: New decorations and a chalk board was also installed.

PHOTO CAPTION 4: The council's housing team and Play Rangers helped paint the wall.