Level 5 For The Second Year Running!

​Royal Horticultural Society - It’s Your Neighbourhood is a unique scheme for volunteer led community gardening projects/groups who are focused on improving their local environment through community gardening. Fennyfold Community Garden has received the top accolade - Level 5 for the second year running.

​Fennyfold Community Garden is about growing people as much as plants, they are definitely in sync, we have seen volunteers blossom, grow in confidence, who have been isolated, suffering from depression, physical difficulties and some non-verbal. Young people struggling to find work, people from all walks of life .

We educate our community on how important and uncomplicated growing plants is to achieve.
We have built are garden through recycling and re-using, what we buy in is sustainably sourced. Plus, we have been financially supported through grants from local organisations and businesses.

We educate our community on how important and uncomplicated growing your own food is. Our community cares about the environment but hesitate after seeing complicated media attention and we share with them techniques by example that are practical, fun and the fresh food always tastes great.

What we have learnt and endorsed is what we share now to minimise the impact of food miles on the environment, making a positive impact but leading the way for the whole of our community to participate in all the activities this site has the potential to provide.

What we do - who we support
Educationally we offer the whole community free hands-on gardening sessions, also accredited courses in horticulture.

Art for wellbeing, exploring painting techniques, creating mixed media.

Personally, our volunteers are the team behind everything we do. Bringing different skills from there lives, we offer a strong friendship bond to everyone with any skillset.

We have an activity calendar, and everyone chooses how much and what activity they wish to join in while at the garden.

Everyone has a say in how we develop the garden, this values our volunteers, plus makes the garden an attractive place to visit and be part of.

We have great fun at our monthly gardening classes for schools in the area, educating our young people about the importance of plant to plate. The wildlife they can enjoy understanding and getting creative through the seasons.

We also support activities of other groups, embarking on improving their green space. By sharing our experiences and helping with planning their resources.

We work with Padiham Town Council promoting Padiham Grow and Padiham Flower Show we love to attend every year.

Plus, we are working with Burnley Green spaces team with tree planting and creating a course for new tenants taking on allotments.

As well as being a hub for volunteering and community sessions, we are an educational site with a focus on environmental sustainability, biodiversity and how we can change the way we live for the benefit of ourselves, our families and our communities.

The RHS Neighbourhood Awards
The neighbourhood awards is an opportunity and recognition to Green up your local community with your friends and neighbours through gardening in this non-competitive programme, but it’s such a lovely community of gardeners. It motivates and creates incentives to gardeners to come together share ideas. Receive fantastic support from the area RHS coordinators and judges .

Annually we enter RHS, Northwest in Bloom competition. This the regional organisation of Britain in Bloom. Britain in Bloom is one of the longest running environmental competitions in the UK. Since 1964 communities have demonstrated the ability to create and maintain attractive natural environments.

The aim of the competition is to encourage the improvement of our surroundings through the imaginative use of trees, shrubs, flowers, veg and landscaping. Recognising volunteer’s achievements to upcycle. Protecting the environment and encouraging natures habitat.

We have participated for the past three years, and gleam advise, support and recognition for all our efforts.

RHS judging criteria structured around key themes. The emphasis placed on the key themes varies with the two campaigns. The key themes are:
· Horticultural Achievement
· Environmental Responsibility
· Community Participation

It’s a great organisation to link up with and our two Burnley parks and Burnley town centre have entered under their specific category.

We would recommend any community group to have a go and get involved it is a worthwhile cause for towns villages and all community groups however small.

Jean Hanson, Chairperson/Project Manager, said, "After a successful career and a Mancunian when retired I wanted to spend time in a relaxing environment, while being physically active and mentally stimulated. What a treasure I discovered in being a resident in Padiham and Burnley and getting to know so many wonderful people, living here and through our community garden. Thank you to everyone who supports us past and present."

Where you can find more information about us
Check out our Facebook page for all your gardening tips, our progress and the 2000 members who enjoy our page.