Crossrail contractor BBMV has delivered a lasting legacy for the local community in inner city London through the creation of a new "˜urban garden'.
The garden in Tower Hamlets which was created for homelessness charity Providence Row will provide an area for people to learn horticultural skills as well as an oasis of peace and calm in the seventh most deprived area in the UK.
BBMV (a consortium between Balfour Beatty, Alpine BeMo Tunnelling, Morgan Sindall and Vinci Construction), have provided funding for half the total project and worked closely with Providence Row who will ensure the garden provides long-term skills for people in vegetable cultivation, food sourcing, cooking and nutrition.
One of Providence Row's aims is to provide homeless people with the means to be able to produce fresh fruit and vegetables for a balanced and healthy diet, and it will enable the charity's Horticultural trainee programme to be expanded and for instructors to demonstrate key agricultural skills to those wanting to learn. The garden is already on track to engage with 60 people in the first year through gardening activities and the trainee scheme.
"We are very grateful for BBMV for the support they gave both financially and practically through volunteering by BBMV staff. They were our partners all the way through the project and it was fantastic working with them," commented Providence Row CEO, Pam Orchard. "Their support has transformed our centre and both clients and staff love the garden, which is beautiful and really improves the environment in which we deliver our services. We have started a gardening group for our clients which builds confidence and improves wellbeing."
Providence Row's clients will work in a nearby housing estate's communal garden, showing the wide impact in the local community the garden is having. Local schools are being invited to collect bottles to build a plastic bottle greenhouse.
Materials from Balfour Beatty's nearby Blackfriars construction site will be used for the creation of compost bins and planters surrounding the building.
Nigel Russell, Project Director at BBMV, said: "We identified Providence Row to partner with and develop a meaningful investment project in the heart of a local community.
"The garden has transformed a grey and urban space into a sanctuary in the city and is bringing people from across the community together to exchange skills and experience."
