Ireland: West Belfast group transforms derelict land into welcoming community gardens

They’ve completed one project and are keen to get cracking on their second and third

By Orlaith Clinton
Belfast Live
Mar 6, 2021

Excerpt:

Growing up in homes with little or no back garden can be frustrating – but one Belfast street has created their own communal garden.

The Three Sisters Gardening Group begun work on a derelict space on the Oakman Street and Cavendish Street area of the city and have created an inclusive community garden.

And with the first garden proving a huge success for families in the area, they now have their green fingers on a new piece of land which will soon be transformed with the help of some volunteers and local businesses.

Speaking to Belfast Live at their impressive site, Brenda Gough said: “During the first lockdown, I got a small grant of £200 and I got soil and strawberry plants and distributed it around the neighbours. From there, Angela Smith, whose house backs onto this space contacted me about developing the waste ground.

“At the time, we didn’t know how important it was to be outdoors. Angela herself said that there’s been massive improvement in mental health and we all worked together. It was like a ripple effect.

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