A group of local people from the Camerados movement have set up a new type of public living room in the form of a Coalville community garden.

Victoria Herriman, Bill 'Bomber' Brown, Ben Herriman, Ken and Alison Russ-Powell and Lori Konkle, call themselves the Gardenerados, and invite you to come and have a brew with them, and look out for each other, in their public living room every Monday from 10am to 2pm at Coalville Park.

Camerados is a social movement made up of people popping up all over the UK and the global belief that the best way through tough times is to be a halfway between a stranger and a friend.

Camerados have six principles

• It's okay to fail

• Don't fix people, just be alongside

• Remember to have fun

• If you disagree, level respectfully

• Mix with people who don't look anything like you

• If someone is struggling ask them to help you

Victoria said: "I joined the movement in during lockdown, so the public living room is fairly new to me.

"The positive change I've seen in the people there has been amazing. Gardenerados is basically a pop-up living room in a community garden that we are doing-up for people to come and have a brew and do some gardening - which is optional

"We are planning radical radishes, but the thing that grows from this garden is human connection and a sense of purpose for people, which I believe to be the foundation for a happy and healthy life."

The idea for the garden came about when Bill and Victoria recommended reconnecting after lockdown and sharing their ideas on the power of connection

"We wanted to get people together again," said Bill. "We had access to the garden and the idea of a combining a good cup of tea and being in a green space was too good to miss.

"One of the Camarados principles is if someone is struggling ask them to help you.

"We haven't seen Ken in a while, so we knocked on his door and said 'Ken, we need your help' - we took him to the garden and he was inspired

Alison said "I've always want to do something like this. We are delighted by the response from local people who pass by and want to know what we're doing."

Ben added: "We invite them in for a cuppa and a custard cream, it's such a simple way for people to connect with each other."

Gary said: "When you're in the public living room you can open up and talk about stuff.

"There aren't many spaces like that, I'm very happy to be involved in making this happen in Coalville."

Ken added: "The garden needs a bit of work, but we're just going for it. We don't need to wait for a funding application to have a cup of tea and connect with each other."

Gardenerados will be at the pop-up living room in Coalville Park rom 10 am until 2 pm every Monday for more information go to