Home and garden retailer Robert Dyas has announced Camberwell Triangle Community Garden as the winner of its Nominate Your Community Space competition.

Established in 2022 on a council estate in South East London, the volunteer-led project was created as a food-growing space and aims to become a thriving green sanctuary that supports community connection, wellbeing, and biodiversity.

Plans include improving accessibility, creating wildlife habitats, enhancing seating and encouraging greater community participation. The judges were impressed by the group's clear vision, strong community focus and the lasting positive impact the project has the potential to make for both people and nature.

The retailer’s nationwide competition, now in its third year, encouraged people to nominate a green community space in their local area, which had the potential to be transformed for the mental and physical health of their community. It ran from 17th March to 29th May with the prize on offer £2.5k worth of gardening equipment. This includes a Forest Garden Summerhouse, Veg Trug Raised Planters, a variety of garden tools and more.

The competition was part of Robert Dyas’ ongoing Plant & Pause campaign, now in its fourth year, which encourages the nation to garden their way to better mental health. Like the campaign’s previous three years, Robert Dyas has teamed up with the gardening-for-health charity, Thrive. With over 40 years of experience, using gardening alongside Social and Therapeutic Horticulture (STH) to help improve people’s physical and psychological health, they’re a great fit for the project. 

Donna Jackson, Trade and Campaign Lead for Robert Dyas and one of the competition judges, said: "The standard of entries this year was incredibly high, so choosing a winner was no easy task. What really stood out about Camberwell Triangle Community Garden was its clear vision and well-developed plans to create a space that will deliver lasting benefits for the local community. The judges were particularly impressed by the project's commitment to improving wellbeing, supporting biodiversity and bringing people together, and we know our prize package will help turn that vision into reality. Congratulations to everyone involved." 

Shez Chung-Blake, lead volunteer and the founder of the Camberwell Triangle Community Garden, said: “We are so proud to have won this prize! Thank you Robert Dyas for the prizes that will make a huge difference in our garden! We are so proud to be part of such a fantastic community, who work together to make our estate that bit more greener and friendly for our neighbours and nature. This is a win for all council estate residents that care about where they live!"

The judges included The Sun Gardening Editor and Associate Head of Features, Veronica Lorraine; multi-RHS-award-winning Cloud Gardener and Chelsea Flower Show presenter, Jason Williams; Thrive charity’s Training & Education Officer, Mark Emery; and Robert Dyas’,Trade and Campaign Lead, Donna Jackson.