Blue Diamond Garden Centres wanted to help bring the great outdoors to the heart of communities across the UK by offering funding to support local groups to create new community gardens or give a makeover to existing community gardens. 

Blue Diamond offered a total of £10,000 worth of plants and garden care products to be split equally across five community gardens, along with six hours of expert help and advice to get the projects off to a flying start. 

Blue Diamond were inundated with entries and are now delighted to announce their five winners, who are:

Newton Abbot Centre Association

This community project will be paired with Blue Diamond’s Fermoy’s’ Garden Centre.

Newton Abbot Centre Association is a Registered Charity which exists to run the Courtenay Centre. The Courtenay Centre is a popular local community centre serving the town of Newton Abbot in Devon. The community centre provides a home to lots of local groups and activities, as well as offering a cafe serving affordable food, a community fridge offering free surplus food to local people and running a range of support groups and activities for local people.

John Addy, Chair of Trustees, Newton Abbot Centre Association said:"Newton Abbot Centre Association are delighted to have been selected as a winner of this competition for our new community garden at The Courtenay Centre. The support of an expert and the funding will enable us to complete our community garden works. The garden that we are creating is a space where people can enjoy much needed rest and relaxation. For those looking to learn or use their 'green fingered' skills, there is an opportunity to volunteer to support the maintenance of the garden. By connecting with the various youth activities at The Courtenay Centre, we hope to inspire the younger generation to get involved and develop a love of plants that lasts a lifetime. We look forward to working in partnership with Blue Diamond’s Fermoy’s Garden Centre, in the months ahead". 

Step Together Volunteering - Get Growing Project

This community project will be paired with Blue Diamond’s Cadbury’s Garden Centre.

This community “Get Growing” project is based at an allotment in South Bristol. Established in 2021 in response to the pandemic, when people needed a safe space to meet with young people, it is now an integral part of the service offered for young people facing multiple disadvantages in Bristol. The community group run sessions for young people twice a week where they can come together in small groups and develop:

• Confidence, self-esteem, motivation and aspirations.
• Work-related skills such as communication, reliability, team working.
• Knowledge about growing produce, cooking, healthy lifestyles and project planning.

The space supports 16–25-year-olds and serves as a “safe” place where they feel connected to their local community, where they can explore their interests and learn about the land and environment around them.

Helen Kington, Project Manage,r said: “We are over the moon to receive this prize. Our allotment focusses on giving Young People the chance to experience nature, grow fruit/ vegetables and flowers and to learn new skills to build their confidence. This prize will help us to expand the variety of plants and fruit/veg we have onsite, to not only allow the Young People to increase their knowledge and awareness, but also provide produce for educational/life skill purposes if they join our Get Growing and Get Cooking programmes. They will learn new techniques and the expert advice will benefit everyone on the site."

Kingshurst Community Garden

This community project will be paired with Blue Diamond’s Melbick’s Garden Centre.

The purpose of this community group is to foster a supportive and inclusive environment that promotes local engagement. They aim to enhance the well-being of their community through various initiatives, including educational programs, social events, and volunteer opportunities. By encouraging active participation and open days, they strive to address local issues, support sustainable development, and strengthen community bonds. The group serves as a hub for residents to connect, share resources, and work together towards common goals, ultimately contributing to a vibrant, resilient, and thriving community garden.

Councillor John Edwards said: "We are thrilled and honoured that the Kingshurst Community Garden has been selected as one of the five winners in the Blue Diamond Garden Centres competition. This recognition celebrates the hard work and dedication of our residents and volunteers in creating a sustainable and vibrant community space."  

Friends of Holbrook Charity

This community project will be paired with Blue Diamond’s Newbridge Garden Centre.

The objectives of the Friends of Holbrook group are to encourage the development of the community of the school, and the school within the wider community; to engage in activities which will benefit the school and all its members; to purchase equipment and books to benefit pupils’ education.

Kristina Schraitel said: "The Thinking Garden is a renewal project of a designated section of Holbrook grounds. It was initially set up 10 years ago in memory of a Holbrook student - Abigail, who sadly died of cancer. She loved horses and so the garden contains horse riding elements, which we will restore and preserve. Since funding was severely cut for primary schools, the garden became abandoned and overgrown and closed off to children. We are hoping to make it a place for everyone in Holbrook, connecting the past and the future with lush groundcover foliage and beautiful native plants, making it a practical and child-friendly place to reflect, explore and enjoy."

Transition Town Wellington (TTW)

This community project will be paired with Blue Diamond’s Blackdown Garden Centre.

The aim of this community group is to help their town become more self-sufficient as a reaction to the climate and ecological crises. Part of their work is to create community gardens in public spaces in the town with food for residents to pick for free, including fruit, nuts, vegetables and herbs. These spaces are managed to increase biodiversity and soil health to benefit nature as well as people. The group welcomes people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to join our group in the “transition” to a low carbon society.

Helen Gillingham, leader of TTW’s community gardening team said: “The Community Gardening Group from Transition Town Wellington are looking forward to creating the next stage of the Forest Garden at Fox’s Field with the help of the Blue Diamond grant and the advice from Blackdown Garden Centre. The aim is to plant up these 450 square metre spaces over the next 12 months with perennial plants and bushes, including soft fruit and other edibles, herbs and cut flowers which can provide a harvest for local residents and a home for wildlife.”

TTW's team of enthusiastic volunteers in the forest garden, with Tonedale Mill in the background. 

Each community project has been paired to a Blue Diamond Garden Centre nearest to it and Blue Diamond will follow the progress of these five community garden projects over the next 12 months with regular updates on its website at: https://www.bluediamond.gg/community-garden-competition

Blue Diamond would like to thank all who entered this competition and wish all community projects success in the future.

Blue Diamond would also like to thank its suppliers, Evergreen, Westland and Gardena, who since Blue Diamond announced the competition, have come forward to offer additional product support to each of the winners.