New Sensory Garden at Hirst Park
A sensory garden is being developed by the Full Circle Food Project at Hirst Park, with the support of College Ward Councillor Mark Purvis.
The Full Circle Food Project provide a range of activities and services at the recently developed Growing Zone in Hirst Park. Activities include the provision of interactive cooking classes that assist both adults and children in learning to cook healthily as well as managing food on a budget with tasty recipes.
In providing activities the project found that a number of beneficiaries and volunteers needed a quiet space to sit and reflect on what has recently been a very difficult time for many. This has led to the development of the sensory garden, within the Growing Zone, which has been directly funded by Cllr. Mark Purvis’s County Council Small Improvements Scheme.
Sarah Robinson, CEO at the Full Food Circle project, said ‘We were so grateful for the donation from Cllr. Purvis towards the development of the sensory garden. Over the next year the garden will be fully developed to provide a restful space filled with plants that will appeal to our senses with the aim of improving health and well-being’.
Cllr. Purvis adds ‘I’m pleased to support this worthwhile project as I know the Full Food Circle are doing much to meet need and address food poverty in both the College Ward and wider Ashington area’.
The project currently provides a Community Larder, open every Monday from 10.00am to 11.00am and Wednesday from 1.00pm to 2.00pm, as well as a Community Café, open every Tuesday from 12noon till 1.00pm, for homemade soup and toasties on a pay what you can basis.
The Full Circle Food Project are based at the Growing Zone in Hirst Park (NE63 9BA). The Growing Zone has been developed as part of Northumberland County Council’s successful bid for the National Lottery funding to rejuvenate the Park. A grant of £2.2m was awarded through The National Lottery Heritage Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund and is supported by contributions from Ashington Town Council and the Ashington Leisure Partnership.
For more information on the Full Circle Food Project visit www.fullcirclefoodproject.org.uk or find the group on Facebook.
