West Midlands: Witley Court Gardening Club
In 2007 English Heritage, Wyre Forest LAFS, Worcestershire Lifelinks and the Adult Learning Disability Services and Countryside Service at Worcestershire County Council worked in partnership on a natural heritage project at Witley Court and Gardens. This project was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and English Heritage.
Additional to the original project outline, the young people were also offered the opportunity to design, landscape and maintain a wildlife garden (funded by EH).
One of the legacies of this work was the creation of a monthly gardening club for volunteers who took part in this project. This has been running since December 2007 and the volunteer ages have increased to also include people with learning difficulties over the age of 25. There are generally between 8 – 12 volunteers at each session.
The volunteers work really hard every month looking after the Wildlife garden and making it colourful and wildlife friendly all year round. They have really taken ownership of it, many being part of the group who originally landscaped it in 2007. As well as planting and weeding, they have been enhancing the garden which is open to visitors by making wooden benches, painting the shed and working with an artist to create a ceramic wildlife trail for families to enjoy from Easter 2009.
For more information about the project contact Suzanne.carter@english-heritage.org.uk or call 0121 6256870.
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