Tackling loneliness with community garden is a ‘real positive’

St Mewan

“I think it’s a wonderful, wonderful thing for the community.” – Chris Sullivan, Polgooth Garden Club

St Mewan Parish Council has been awarded £59,658.32 from the Good Growth Community Levelling Up Programme to create an area to help improve residents’ mental wellbeing.

The garden, on the Recreation Ground in Trewoon, is a tranquil place where residents can sit, read, weed, smell and feel the various plants, and meet with other residents.

Patsy Tarbox, Chair of Full Council, says: “St Mewan Parish Council has long been concerned about the issue of loneliness. What we’re hoping with this garden is that it will help alleviate some of the problems of loneliness.”

Wendy Yelland, Parish Clerk/ RFO, says when the funding became available they were determined to create something to bring the community together.

The project involved planting sensory plants, herbs and trees, creating a resin walkway to make it fully inclusive, along with seating and picnic benches.

The design, led by the community, also incorporates adult gym equipment because being outside and doing physical activity can improve mental wellbeing and mood.

Patsy says: “We hope to get a gardening group going and an adult exercise group using the exercise equipment.”

Amanda Kendall, Deputy Clerk St Mewan Council, says: “Without the funding, we would only have a fifth of what we’ve got here today.

“We really wanted to make sure we had something the parish could be proud of and that it would bring everybody out and combat loneliness and mental health.”

Allen Wynn, local resident, says: “You get people of all ages, and you get people talking. That makes a better village. It’s nice to just be able to sit down and watch the world go by.”

A working group of local residents will help maintain the area along with the Parish Council’s maintenance operative, who will ensure the area is kept tidy for all. CCTV has also been installed to protect the area, which also covers the neighbouring Village Hall.

Tami Munday, local resident, says: “Coming out to use these local spaces has just been amazing. We use this area quite a lot.”

Chris Sullivan, Polgooth Garden Club, says: “How lucky are the people who live locally and can use this?

“The hard surface is wonderful for wheelchairs, prams, bikes, lots of flowers for the bees. There is a real positive effect. So, I think it’s a wonderful, wonderful thing for the community.”

This project is made possible thanks to a £59,658 investment from the Good Growth Community Levelling Up Programme, funded by the UK Government through Shared Prosperity Fund.