Tembani Court residents have been aided in their efforts to rejuvenate their communal gardens through Live Longer Better – a local programme supporting people’s Health and Wellbeing (a collaborative effort between Torbay Communities, Healthwatch and Active Devon). Additional support towards the gardens have been provided by their Community Builder Chris Durrant, Torbay’s Live Longer Better Coordinator Jess Slade, the knowledge and skill of Healthwatch Torbay’s Pam Prior, and funding from Active Devon towards raised beds, tools, plants and alike.
The eleven members of Tembani Community Gardening Club held an open day for its other residents on Saturday 19th August, to show off the results of their hard work during the previous fifteen months to rejuvenate the communal gardens surrounding the 92 retirement housing flats at Tembani Court in Paignton. The event included a presentation by representatives of Healthwatch Torbay, Torbay Communities and Live Longer Better with a grant of £1,000 towards the cost of new plants, raw materials and in particular high planters to enable residents with health impairments get involved in the project.
Resident Development Manager, Lorraine Bush, instigated the formation of the club in April 2022. She and all the members agree that the benefits of participating in post-covid, healthy gardening activities have been far exceeded by the growing camaraderie, additional social gatherings that have ensued, and the many laughs at the various events, successes and failures that have occurred since inception.
The work has entailed 25-year-old, tired, dead shrubbery being removed, the rotavating and revival of beds, water-butts installation, the planting of new flowers and shrubs and the designation of areas for cultivation of home-grown vegetables and fruit. Other residents have been supportive by contributing both money and plants, and are making much more use of the now colourful, pleasant, relaxing seating areas.
If this has inspired you to get a community project along these lines on the go in your neighbourhood, contact the Live Longer Better Torbay team – speak to Jess Slade by phoning 07772 023170 or email jessslade@torbaycdt.org.uk
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