Kettering community garden opens thanks to 'army of volunteers' and £5,000 grant from Kettering Town Council

Youth Works Kettering, an alternative provision education centre based at The Keystone Centre, was awarded a £5,000 Voluntary and Community Grant from KTC last year.

Green-fingered volunteers, students and businesses worked together to transform part of the grounds into a community garden complete with a all-weather shelter, raised beds and landscaping.

Jane Rowley, business manager for Youth Works, said: “This is phase one. We’ve flattened the whole area and put in raised beds at wheelchair height, installed a covered area because we had no shade in the garden.

"We’ve had a massive number of volunteers come and help – so many different people – the whole project if we paid for everyone must have been about £12,000.

“It’s got huge potential. We are encouraging youth groups to use it and Johnny’s Happy Place will use it more.”

Cutting the ribbon to officially mark the end of phase one was deputy mayor of Kettering Cllr Alex Evelyn and Cindy Wrighting.

She said: “A huge thank you to Kettering Town Council for the grant that allowed us to create this tranquil and wonderful space. It has taken months of work from an entire army of wonderful people, not least the amazing Fran Sherbourne who dreamt up this idea and has spent week after week working on it alongside her dedicated husband Simon.

“We built this space so people can come and join in with some gardening, grow excellent food and provide pollinator friendly planting to support the local biodiversity movement in Kettering.

“It’s great to have a really usable outdoor space. It has the ability to get families and young people involved. Outdoor spaces are essential for people’s well being and this is a space for everyone.”

Youth Works thanked:

Rick, Sam, Harry and Charlie from Kettering Fire Station

Chris Foster - compost

Luke Newman - arborist/ bark and chippings

Boughton Loam Ltd - compost

Julie Olde - bark chippings

Joel at Cobley Countryside Services and Groundworks

Clive at The Green Patch - plants and vegetables

Wickes - chippings, sand, compost, gardening equipment

Johnnys Happy Place - bedding plants

And the community garden volunteers.