Village loos turned into community garden

VOLUNTEERS WORK TOGETHER TO TRANSFORM SPACE

- AMBER EDWARDS

AN abandoned toilet block in Stoke Village has been knocked down to make space for a beautiful new community garden.

Volunteers within the community came together to transform the space into a positive place to be used by residents.

Leading the labour of love was Stoke resident, keen gardener and former head of horticulture for Covent Garden, Kenny Raybould. He, along with 25 volunteers from the Village Hub and Friends of Blockhouse Park, worked hard to bring the garden to life, battling very wet conditions.

The garden has been designed with the community in mind - a space that people could use to meet up, enjoy and provide an attractive entrance to the park. Kenny says the space now offers a floral respite for passers-by and for those with no gardens, plus it adds to the much-needed increase of green infrastructure which keeps us all healthy.

Last year, Plymouth City Council provided funding to the Village Hub regarding the toilet block space following a successful bid process. This funding, along with the contract to maintain the space, was awarded with the idea of the community leading the development, explains Kenny.