The idea for the Shirley Warren Community Garden came about in December 2003 when a committee was formed with the vision of transforming an area of neglected ground behind a run down church into an urban treasure!!  It was a terrific challenge as we had to clear an area the size of 3 tennis courts which hadn't been touched seriously since the 1960's. Shirley Warren is a designated area of high deprivation with high unemployment and social problems which include vandalism, crime and bored youth.

Skips were filled with rubbish, thirteen sycamore trees felled and a large area of the dreaded Japanese knotweed eradicated before we could get started. Limited access meant that everything had to be done by wheelbarrow!!
We investigated avenues for funding and we just kept on meeting helpful people who guided us through the vast amounts of form filling. It was a daunting task as we knew that we were going to need thousands of pounds but once the money started coming in we commissioned a garden designer, felled trees and approached contractors to clear the area. We have now raised over £123,000 and spent it! Not bad for a small band of determined volunteers.

Ideas for the garden were collected from locals, school children, and Project Committee members so that it would be a true "community garden”. The result is a garden compiled as a series of "rooms" and to date we have  Sensory, Storytelling, Wildlife, Pond, Plants of the World and Herbal Rooms as well as a beautiful pergola walkway, attractive walls, paving and a demi-amphitheatre which is used as an outdoor classroom. We have disabled access and lovely seating on which to relax reflect and recharge.