An imaginative Church project to transform its overgrown grounds in a city suburb into a peaceful garden for the whole community will get the Royal seal of approval next week.
The Princess Royal will visit St Peter’s Community Garden in Fairwater, Cardiff, on Wednesday (Nov 16) to see how volunteers from more than 15 local organisations have come together to transform an acre of scrubland into a garden and nature reserve.
Teams of parishioners, young offenders, people with learning disabilities and children from the neighbouring school dug out a jungle of briars and brambles and chopped down trees to create a haven of peace which includes a lawn, pond, vegetable patch and mini Welsh heritage orchard.
The garden was the vision of parishioner Ian Thompson who was appointed project manager by the vicar, Father Colin Sutton.
Father Colin said, “Our involvement with the volunteers has been an essential part of the project which is as much about people as the grounds. We have been able to reach out into both the local and wider community through them. Everyone will reap the benefits as they enjoy this peaceful space and respond to the continuing opportunity to care for and develop the garden and natural habitat.”
Ian said, “There’s something very special about seeing people get involved in a project like this and developing the self confidence and self esteem that come with it. The garden is enjoyed by the whole community including the primary school next door. It offers people a quiet haven of peace in the midst of the city, the beauty of the countryside that many of its users would simply not enjoy otherwise.”
Princess Anne’s visit has been organised by the Woodland Trust which donated trees for a hedgerow at the garden as part of its Jubilee Woods Project, marking the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
She will meet representatives from some of the groups involved, including Sbectrwm – young people with learning needs – and Cardiff Youth Offending Service. Children from Fairwater Primary School, which borders two-thirds of the garden, will present the Princess with a tree and a Celebration Folder about the garden written and illustrated by them and members of St Peter’s Art Group, Fairwater Creative Writing Group and the church’s Eco Group.
But Father Colin stressed the Royal visit would not mark the end of the project. He said, “There is still plenty to do. The volunteers have been busy planting over a thousand Welsh daffodil bulbs, so in Springtime the grounds will be ablaze with colour. Our Welsh heritage trees and meadow have just been planted and the meadow flower circle is the next task, along with preparing the ground for the hedging from the Woodland Trust.
“The transformation of the grounds is the first part of our dual project which includes the complete refurbishment of our Community Hall to renew its life and so make it available to a larger cross section of the local and wider community.”
