RESIDENTS at a Wales & West Housing retirement scheme in Penarth have received a £4,030 grant from Awards for All to help create their dream community garden.

The grant will allow the residents of Oak Court to purchase a new greenhouse to grow more fruit and veg, a potting shed, materials to build a nature pond and a raised bed amongst other items.

Over the past two years, the members of Oak Court Gardening Club have worked tirelessly to create a beautiful outdoor space for all living at the scheme to enjoy.

From what was a bare grass area, the garden at the scheme is now blossoming with wild flowers, potted plants and a huge variety of fruit and vegetables.

The group got their gardening project off the ground thanks to funding from Wales & West Housing’s Making a Difference grants, as well as support and assistance from staff.

The group has also been busy raising money to sustain the garden themselves, through weekly breakfast clubs, raffles, donations, baking and produce sales.

In 2014, the pioneering work of Oak Court Gardening Group was recognized at the national Sustainable Housing Awards, when they were shortlisted for the Sustainable Tenants of the Year Award.

They also scooped the Eco Champion Award at Wales & West Housing’s 2014 Making a Difference Awards.

Awards for All provides voluntary and community groups with a quick and easy way to get small National Lottery grants of between £500 and £5,000 for projects which aim to help improve local communities and the lives of people most in need. The programme encourages a wide range of community, health, educational and environmental projects.

Resident Sandra Thomas said on behalf of the gardening group: “We are so grateful to receive the grant from Awards for All. It will allow more residents here to have the opportunity to learn how to grow fruit, vegetables and flowers from seed. It will mean more people will come out into the garden and get involved, which will be great to see.

She added: "The greenhouse will enable us to extend our growing season, whilst the pond will help attract wildlife to our garden. Thanks to the grant, we’ll also be able to grow more fresh fruit and vegetables for all the residents at the scheme to enjoy. We are very excited to start our new project.”

Wales & West Housing Environmental Assistant Sarah Willcox said: “Before the gardening club came together the grounds at Oak Court were very underused and residents would rarely venture outside.

"The development of the garden has had a really positive impact on the residents’ happiness and wellbeing, and also brought the community together, which is wonderful to see.

"The Awards for All grant will go a long way in making further improvements and I know the residents are very grateful and excited for the next phase of their project.”