School kids kick start healthy holidays with some gardening

Southern Housing Group’s Community Connectors organised a “school breakout fun day” for residents and neighbours of Bunker’s Hill

A group of local schoolchildren, many of whom live in Bunker’s Hill, which is managed by Southern Housing Group, decided to do something positive with their summer holidays and hit upon the idea of creating a growing garden of fruits, vegetables and herbs.

So on 20 July 2019 as schools broke up for the summer he young people, supported by Community Connectors, encouraged other residents and local people to come along and lend a hand. Community Connectors are recruited by Southern Housing Group to galvanise change by running their own community projects.

Community Connector Lisa Terry said “People came along to watch and take part. Everyone had the opportunity to get involved in decorating tyres, planting and laying new ‘crazy paving’.”

Ed Turpin of the Kent Wildlife Trust (see main picture) came along to lend a hand to the project and teach the children about horticulture and wildlife.

As a Dover Connector for the Kent Wildlife Trust, Ed helps to connect people in the local community with nature.

Ed said “Community projects like this are a great way of getting local people interested in nature and the environment, and also demonstrate how we can all benefit from caring for wildlife around us”.

The new Mayor of Dover, Gordon Cowan, was also in attendance and was eager to get involved in get involved in helping towards the garden.

The new Mayor of Dover, Gordon Cowan gets stuck in with the planting

“This is fantastic for the local community – working together on a garden that they will look after for generations to come. Not only will residents in the local area benefit from the new garden’s fresh produce, but also from the sense of community the project inspires” said Gordon Cownan, Mayor of Dover, speaking at the event.

Residents were delighted to enjoy a morning of gardening, painting and decorating, followed by an afternoon of activities, including sports games and afternoon tea.