Our Garden Project in Oxfordshire is a collection of gardening opportunities for people we support. People can garden in a way that suits them best and enjoy the many mental and physical health benefits of gardening and there are lots of ways people we support can get involved.
Style Acre Garden Project
Volunteering at Wantage Market Garden
Style Acre has worked with partners Sustainable Wantage and Oxfordshire County Council to run a Market Garden in Wantage since 2014. Wantage Market Garden offers people we support the chance to volunteer at the garden to grow fruit, vegetable and flowers. Sustainable gardening methods are used and gardeners do everything they can to protect and enhance the natural environment.
People can volunteer at gardening sessions which can be 1:1 or group based. Our Market Garden is a great example of partnership working with teams of volunteers coming together to tend to this beautiful, productive garden.
Open days and plant sales are held throughout the year and the garden is open to the public every Sunday afternoon from March until the end of October. We employ a Gardening Coordinator who supports sessions at the Wantage Market Garden.
Follow the Wantage Market Garden Facebook page to keep up to date with what is going on in the garden.
Gardening groups at our Wallingford and Didcot hubs
These hubs have gardening groups that meet regularly, choosing what to grow and how to support wildlife in spaces outside the hubs. Our gardening groups have grown vegetables, flowers and herbs and created bug hotels and bird feeders for the local wildlife.
Gardening at home
Our Gardening Co-ordinator suggests gardening activities, provides resources and advice and runs gardening competitions. Many of our supported living houses and hubs have vegetable trugs so people can grow their own food or flowers.
Working or volunteering at Green Acre
Our gardening maintenance social enterprise evolved due to the popularity of gardening amongst people we support at Style Acre. Currently 9 people are supported to maintain local gardens as part of the Green Acre team.
Oxfordshire County Council - Wantage Market Garden
What are the Benefits of the Garden Project?
Gardening can offer something for everyone
Gardening can be done on a 1:1 basis at a quiet time or as a group volunteering activity focusing on socializing, exercising or learning new skills.
Gardening skills
It offers the chance to improve knowledge and skills, seasonal projects, educational workshops and special events such as Wild Wantage Night Time Safari mean that there is always something new to learn and get involved in.
It can be good for wellbeing
Gardening can improve mental and physical health, it can be an enjoyable way to get some exercise and fresh air. It can be a sociable activity, a chance to be part of a team working alongside fellow gardeners.
Darryl lives in a supported living household. He loves gardening and says: “I enjoy growing my own veg, being able to pick them and cook them. I grow tomatoes, strawberries, peppers and green beans, spring onions. I’ve been supported to become healthier this year by doing lots of exercise walking and using my treadmill, also eating healthy – lots of veg and fruit…”
Liam has been gardening at the Market Garden for 4 years. Liam says “I’m actually quite good at chatting to people, I love helping at events…I love doing Open Days and talking to people.”
The social aspect of the garden is very important to Liam – “I find it hard when I have no one to talk to. Lonely people can find it very hard. I feel like people at the garden are my friends. I like chatting to J the volunteer the most, I’m good at talking to people”.
Liam has learned new skills like planting bulbs and sowing seeds, and also uses these skills in his work with Green Acre, Style Acre’s gardening maintenance social enterprise, Liam says “I like being challenged!”
How you can support our Garden Project
Donate
We need to raise funds so that people can access our Garden Project. We fundraise for the costs of employing our part-time Gardening Coordinator as well as materials and equipment for the project.
Volunteer
Come and join our team of volunteers without whom the garden would not exist. We welcome individuals and groups of volunteers to come and help at our gardens. Employee teams from local companies often help us at our gardens
Visit the Garden
Plant sales and open days are held throughout the year. Please visit our events page to see what events we currently have planned.