Green-fingered Washington youngsters delighted with gardening grant

Rickleton Community Gardening Club was awarded the grant through the housing group’s Aspire Grant programme.

The programme has been running for 20 years and offers grants of up to £500 to organisations in art and music, as well as drama clubs, toddler play groups, football clubs, older people’s clubs and resident and community associations.

Rickleton Community Gardening Club hosts a special club each Tuesday for children from Rickleton Primary School. Pupils have been working with the volunteers to create a new woodland path and planters filled with herbs and flowers.

The club has used the funding to buy spades, forks, rakes, leaf gatherers and a trolley for the garden.

Anita Bargewell, a volunteer at the gardening club, said: “We are very grateful to Gentoo for the grant funding through the Aspire programme. The children were so excited to use the new equipment. There’s always a queue on a Tuesday lunchtime for the gardening club.

“Everyone who works at the garden volunteers their time because we care about the community and want to make it a nice place to live. We work hard, but it's worth it and the children love it.”

Susie Thompson, Gentoo’s executive director of housing, said: “Aspire Grants are all about bringing communities together and improving spaces for our tenants and residents to enjoy.

“It’s lovely to hear the funding has helped local schoolchildren to develop their gardening skills to help create a beautiful garden everyone can enjoy.”