Abbey Community Centre
People: Helping older people feel connected
We wish to set up a greenhouse in our Abbey Community Garden to grow our own nutritious produce year-round. Vegetables, fruits and herbs grown will be used in our community food classes and projects.
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About this cause
Abbey Community Centre is dedicated to helping all local residents live healthy, fulfilling lives. While open to all, we focus especially on assisting elderly individuals – among the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in the country – and low-income families with under 5s. Membership of Abbey is free. We take a multifaceted, compassionate approach to address pressing local needs, enhance preventative health and reduce social isolation. Our services include: Creche & stay-and-play drop-ins (372 children annually + their families); All-ages Community Activities Programme (712 active members); Kilburn Good Neighbours home befriending scheme for over 65s (134 members); Rewarding volunteering opportunities; Advice, referrals & signposting; and Food redistribution project & community garden.
How this cause brings people in the community together
Our Community Greenhouse Project will enable our centre to have a reliable nutritious food source year-round. Produce grown in the greenhouse will be used in our low-cost healthy cooking classes, weekly food redistribution and monthly community lunches. Greenhouse set-up and planting will be carried out by our Abbey Garden volunteer team, who meet weekly under the guidance of our Head Gardener volunteer Maria-Elena, an expert in food-growing and permaculture. The volunteers report improved mental wellbeing, sense of purpose and social connection, plus physical health benefits, from accessing the garden. Many people we support live on low incomes, with limited access to green space and poor health and nutrition. The Greenhouse will bring long-lasting improvements for health and wellbeing.