An unused piece of land in Coalville has been transformed into a new garden thanks to a community-led grant scheme.

Friends of Greenhill Tenant Association has received an £8,000 grant from the Bardon Hill Community Fund to develop a plot of land for community use at Cropston Drive.

To promote sustainable living, residents are being encouraged to donate vegetables and fruit to grow in the garden and volunteer to help maintain it.

Everyone is welcome to join the project and any produce from the garden will be given back to the local community.

Community garden work in progress

The idea was presented to North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC), the landowner, by the Friends of Greenhill Tenant Association.

Local organisations Travis Perkins, Coalville Education Partnership, the National Forest and The Conservation Volunteers also helped by donating a security light, an outdoor tap, a selection of seeds to grow in the garden and assembling the vegetable beds.

Volunteers from the council's repairs team helped to build garden furniture, including a greenhouse, and housing contractor, Alliance, carried out the groundwork as part of their social payback scheme.

The community garden will officially open on Monday 25 July and access will be managed by the council.

For information about how to get involved with the garden, residents can contact [email protected]  

Councillor Roger Bayliss, Portfolio Holder for Housing at NWLDC, said: "It's great to see unused spaces like these being developed and turned into something positive for the community.

"The Friends of Greenhill Tenant Association had a fantastic vision for the space, and I'm really pleased to see all their efforts come together.

The installed beds before the groundwork was completed

"I hope that residents enjoy the new community garden and I look forward to seeing it grow in years to come."

Lorraine Nicholls, Treasurer at the Friends of Greenhill Tenant Association, said: "Our late Vice Chair, Keith Nicholls, initially came up with the idea of a 'grow your own' garden for the community.

"We want to welcome residents of Greenhill of all ages, whatever their individual needs, be it physical disabilities, mental health issues or social isolation, etc. 

"Alternatively, they could just come along for cup of tea and make new friends."