Last week our Boral Dunmore Team (Brodie Bolton, Karyn Harmston and Ionut Ciobanu Oprea) along with local MP Gareth Ward, Member for Kiama, presented Albion Park Community Garden with a $500 donation.
"Working with Boral, I was delighted to help secure a community grant from Boral to support the Albion Park Community Garden," said Gareth Ward. "A great combo given both Boral and the community gardeners are great diggers!"
Sharon O'Rouke was delighted to accept and said the money will be put to good use purchasing gardening tools and building more garden beds.
We had a tour of the garden and the winter crops that had just been freshly planted. Sharon said the garden is so important for its members, as it provides a social outing for people to catch up with friends, get some exercise, do some gardening and have a cuppa in the adjoining community centre.
The garden was started in 2011 and the group is made up of people with differing skills, who all share a common commitment to creating an inclusive community group and maintaining social connections with one another. Albion Park Community Garden is accepting of members from all gardening skills, ages and abilities. The group even has a member who is 96!
The garden has over 10 beds that grow seasonal produce throughout the year. Herbs and garden staples feature most of the time in the beds. The garden has hardier plants that grow, including aloe vera, succulents, cactus, and native warrigal greens. They also grow potatoes, corn, passionfruit and a variety of herbs.
The group go on small excursions together to other community gardens for inspiration. Once a month, the group harvest from the garden, cook up and have a chat together. They call it called “Chill, Cook and Chat" it is a great way for people to meet and strengthen the community spirit.
If you have any family or friends in the region Sharon is always looking for new members, the group meets every Tuesday from 9am – 12pm.
