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National recognition for grow your own project



28 October 2009

The success of a
Community
Garden
in
South Shropshire
has been recognised at a national award ceremony.
 
Craven
Arms
Community
Garden
, behind the Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre, was started in July 2007, using a grant of £3,780 from Biffaward,
a multi-million pound environmental fund, which uses landfill tax credits donated by Biffa Waste Services.
 
At the recent Biffaward Awards ceremony, at the Royal Hall,
Harrogate
, the garden was described by the judge, Mark Fishpool, as a most beautiful place to grow your own fruit and veg. He went on: “What impressed me the most was the support given to new gardeners and the exceptional engagement with young people and also the small Asian community in the town.”
 
The annual event is hosted by the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts, which manages the Biffaward scheme.
 
Since launch the garden has flourished, mainly using voluntary labour. There are currently 24 individual plots, all occupied, with a growing waiting list.
 
The Garden was represented at the ceremony by project manager, Helen Vaughan, of the Marches Housing and Charitable Trust, a community fund raising organisation set up by South Shropshire Housing Association, and Designer Jim O’Rourke from
Telford
.
 
Although the garden missed out on the top prize, Helen said she was delighted just to have made the shortlist, out of over 100 projects. 
 
“When I received the Biffaward grant two years ago, I never dreamed the garden would be so successful. Many of the plot holders are growing their own food for the first time and realising how easy it is.”
 
Designer Jim O'Rourke, said that although a good design was essential to the long term success, it was the sheer hard work and dedication of the people involved that had made it happen. 
 
The Garden, behind the Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre, is open to the public and visitors are encouraged to see the site for themselves.
 

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