Women’s Workshop wins nearly £10,000 to create community garden and haven in Amble

Women’s Workshop won cash from Crowdfund North of Tyne for their bid to create a community garden and haven in Amble.

They planted out an under-used outdoor space at their Coquet Enterprise Park headquarters with herbs, pollinating flowers, and crops using £9,871 raised in a successful crowdfund campaign.

Now blooming with sunflowers, borage, rosemary, lavender, beans, and potatoes, the garden has become a haven for women looking to learn new skills, make new friends, build confidence, and learn to grow their own food.

The project has become an important community asset for residents seeking to tackle issues including food poverty as a result of the cost of living crisis.

And important lessons about nature are key, with a no-dig strategy, a focus on using organic, peat free self-made compost, and understanding how growing you own food can help to reduce waste.

Angela Davis, Women’s Workshop development manager, said the project had made a difference.

Angela, 54, of Widdrington Station, said: “I’ve definitely seen a change in people. People are taking things home, learning to grow at home, and they’re coming in and asking questions, asking how to do things.

“People are donating seeds and pots and all sorts to help build the project up.

“Doing Crowdfund North of Tyne has been so worthwhile; I’d do it again and not think twice.”

The Women’s Workshop takes a rights-based approach to promoting gender equality in Northumberland and beyond.

Its aim is to offer learning, practical and emotional support, and creative projects that enable women to improve their chances of meeting their full potential, whether socially, economically, or emotionally.

It campaigns collectively with women to tackle and speak out on issues that affect them.

Vienna Duff, 63, from Warkworth, said: “It’s about building connections between people but also about connecting more and understanding more about the birds, insects, trees and the environment.

“It works for human beings but it also works between human beings and the garden.”

Residents, grassroots groups and community organisations working to improve their local communities can apply for a share of £500,000 to help turn their bright idea into reality.

Crowdfund North of Tyne is run by the North of Tyne Combined Authority headed by elected mayor Jamie Driscoll and crowdfunding partner, Spacehive.