Ely and Caerau: new gardening project to bring back nature
Residents of Ely and Caerau are being invited to join an exciting event taking place at the CAER Heritage and Learning Centre next week, celebrating the launch of a new community gardening project for the area.
Hosted by local organisation ACE, the event (Thursday 6 March 1pm - 3.30pm) will introduce new ‘Postcode Gardener’, Rob Fuller, to the Cardiff neighbourhood. Alongside bringing together partner organisations from across the city, he will work with local people to encourage nature back into the area and support the community and wildlife to thrive.
The new role has been secured as part of a scheme being rolled out by Friends of the Earth and The Co-operative Bank, which seeks to rejuvenate over 1,000 neglected spaces across England and Wales and bring communities with little access to nature closer to the health and wellbeing benefits it can provide.
As one of Wales’ Postcode Gardeners, Rob will oversee a two-year programme with ACE to increase biodiversity in Ely and Caerau. Early in the project, Rob will be starting to create green spaces, which will be designed in consultation with people locally. It is hoped that through the project, other greening will be encouraged around the area with the help of the community, such as the creation of raised beds, community orchards, and green play areas that support early years development.
Rob will also use his expertise to help develop new and neglected community gardens, including a memorial garden at the local Council Hub and a peace and wellbeing garden outside the Dusty Forge Centre. And he has plans to deliver regular gardening surgeries to support the local community to get growing, as well as a new tool-lending service.
Rob Fuller, Postcode Gardener for Ely and Caerau said:
“I can’t wait to get stuck into my new role as Ely and Caerau’s Postcode Gardener and share my passion for gardening and the healing power of nature and green spaces with others.
“In my own personal experience, I’ve found that being outside, enjoying nature and tending the soil is vital for our mental health and wellbeing. By growing plants that boost biodiversity and help the environment, we create nurturing spaces that also help us grow as people.
“The local community already has some great ideas on how we can make our green spaces better for recreation and nature. I am excited to work with inspiring local volunteers, community groups and schools to make Ely and Caerau a greener and healthier place to live.”
The Postcode Gardener programme is being rolled out to 6 communities in Wales. Rob Fuller joins Postcode Gardeners Jamie Thomas and Ollie Lister, who are working with communities in Swansea and Cwmtillery respectively. In the coming months, the Postcode Gardener programme will also be rolled out to communities in Ravenhill in Swansea, Rhyl in Denbighshire and Ferndale in the Rhondda Valley.
Maria Cearns, Chief Operating Officer at The Co-operative Bank, said:
“We’re thrilled to continue to expand our work with Friends of the Earth into Wales, taking positive steps to reverse the decline in biodiversity in communities across the country.
“We’re looking forward to seeing the community in Ely and Caerau benefit from the Postcode Gardener scheme. We hope it will create meaningful, lasting change in their community.”
Vast differences in access to nature are felt across the UK, with some of the most marginalised communities, including people of colour and those on lower incomes, being disproportionately affected by lack of access to green spaces. Ely and Caerau were both identified as areas where the community would greatly benefit from a greener environment.
By reclaiming and nurturing public areas for community growing, it’s hoped that the new Postcode Gardener can help to unlock the many advantages of greener neighbourhoods. Greener neighbourhoods support wildlife to flourish and thrive, providing more habitats for animals and attracting much-needed pollinators into urban areas. They also help to reduce air pollution and protect communities from the impacts of climate change. What’s more, nature is known to have a positive impact on mental health and wellbeing.
Thursday's event will be an opportunity to bring together the people of Ely and Caerau for a shared experience of gardening, learning and community celebration.
The session will consist of gardening activities such as flower, herb and vegetable seed sowing and will also feature an interactive wall map of Ely and Caerau which local residents will be invited to mark with areas they think should be greened or improved. Hot drinks, cake and winter soup will also be provided.
Rianna Gargiulo, Postcode Gardener Programme Lead at Friends of the Earth, said:
“It’s really exciting to be embedding a new Postcode Gardener in Ely and Caerau, which we’ve identified as one of the areas that would most benefit from this initiative in England and Wales.
“We’re thrilled to see our pioneering Postcode Gardeners programme expanding to new locations around the country with support from The Co-operative Bank, and to Ely and Caerau with our local delivery partners ACE - Action in Caerau and Ely. Bit by bit, we hope to rejuvenate 1,000 depleted spaces across England and Wales, reconnecting communities with nature and each other.
“Making Cardiff a little greener brings us one step closer to building the healthier, happier and more harmonious world we know to be possible.”
ENDS