Community grant helps Badshot Lea garden bloom

A much-loved community space is flourishing thanks to a grant from Farnham Town Council. The Mayor and Mayoress of Farnham visited Badshot Lea Community Garden to see how a community grant for £1,000 has been put to good use.

Hosted by founder member John Martin, the visit highlighted how the garden began during the COVID pandemic, providing a safe place for local people to meet, connect and feel part of a community project with a lasting legacy.

Today, the garden is a vibrant community space, with a pond, flower and shrub borders, a small hop-growing area featuring Farnham’s celebrated White Bine hop, a charity plant stall and vegetable-growing areas.

The community grant has helped fund an impressive protective frame for the vegetable beds, helping keep hungry birds at bay and ensuring the community can enjoy the fruits – and vegetables – of its labours.

During the visit the Mayor and Mayoress met members of Badshot Lea Bloomers and children taking part in a Hive Helpers course, which also received a grant from Farnham Town Council.

The Mayor of Farnham, Councillor Graham White, said: “It was wonderful to see how this community garden has grown into such a welcoming and productive space. What began as a way for people to connect during a difficult time has created a lasting legacy for Badshot Lea. It is fantastic to see Town Council funding supporting projects that bring people together and benefit the community in so many different ways.”

The Mayor and Mayoress thanked the volunteers for the time and dedication they continue to give to the garden and the wider community.