I have very much enjoyed working on this, it is the sort of thing I really like doing, creating something from nothing, and being by and large, apart from essential Health and safety and legal considerations, being left to get on with it. I have done the design and heavy work when I could fit it in between my professional responsibilities (I work mostly from home) and being the sole family carer for my elderly parents who live in Yorkshire.
Over time I had become involved in the Blackstock Triangle Community Gardening project set up by Naomi Schillinger and Nicolette Jones. Then in 2012, my Dad was seriously ill and became pretty much housebound. Several family members died during that year, and the most important person in my life died in the October. At this point I began to do little projects in my own street, mostly planting up tree pits (with permission from the council) as I satellite of the flourishing and impressive Blackstock Triangle project (see http://outofmyshed.co.uk/tag/blackstock-triangle-gardeners/).
I found the community gardening a good outlet and diversion from what were difficult and challenging times emotionally (and physically). Being able to do this as and when the opportunity arose, rather than having to operate to a timetable, or with a "service level agreement", which is how some schemes operate, was crucial to me being able to do this.
From my personal perspective, I do voluntary work to contribute something positive with my free time, but I also want it to be a form of escape. It ceases to be a form of escape though if it becomes regimented and stressful, as for example workplaces can be.
Flexibility and the relaxing nature were thus crucial elements of this project for me (I'm talking about gardening projects here, obviously if you volunteer for something like St John's Ambulance, or a volunteer-run preserved steam railway, there are different considerations).
The TMO (Tenant Management Association) on whose land the project developed contributed raised beds, soil, and compost, plants seeds and bulbs. They also had an outdoor tap installed adjacent to the plot so that it could easily be watered by the volunteers out of office hours (though the staff have helped with that a lot too).
Some of the staff and TMO committee, as well as residents on and off the estate have contributed plants too, which has been great. We even had people coming down in their pyjamas after midnight to plants tomatoes! I have contributed compost, plants, and cash to buy various items (eg a significant number of logs to form a kind of rockery, but using logs - this is known as a stumpery). We have collected tea pots and rustic baskets and put plants in them. One neighbour contributed our first batch of logs when he was trimming a tree in his garden. Another gave some wooden packing cases to make more raised beds.
I've made lots and lots of new friends while doing this work over the last three years. Now it is down to the residents of the estate to keep the garden going. I am moving on to new volunteer work.
I hope that people find what I have done contributes something positive to their lives.
I have posted some photos below, the first few show what the plot used to look like, and then how it looks now. There are also some pictures of another plot a few yards away which have been given some attention using logs to form raised beds and pallet bases to make planters. Have a look at the pics and let me know what you think!
Best wishes,
Graham
