A garden with the community at its heart

A community garden in Okehampton established with the locals at heart is going from strength to strength.

Okehampton Community Garden (OCG) is a not-for-profit project based within a field off Fatherford Road that has slowly become a firm favourite with locals.

People flock to the setting to either take part in a bit of gardening, socialise or just sit and appreciate the view of Dartmoor National Park.

Next year will be the garden’s tenth anniversary and chairman, Linda Harper, is excited for its future.

It all started in 2012, new homes had been built in what is now Tappers Meadow — the allotments had been relocated, the adjoining field, also owned by Okehampton United Charities, was put to public vote to decide its future, and a community garden emerged as the winner.

A steering group was set up, led by John and Kay Bickley who were the driving force for two years. When they decided to step back Linda put her name forward and became chairman in 2014, which has been her role ever since.

Linda was introduced to the garden by her neighbour within a few weeks of moving to the town in 2013 — she decided to get involved as she could see that the garden had ‘huge potential’.

‘When I became chairman there was a bit of hostility towards the garden, so my first task was to get the community on board and involved — we put positive energy in and worked hard to get a good team together and we now have a garden that people love and compliment.’

The site received a huge boost in 2013 when it was granted £10,000 by the Dartmoor National Park, part funding their shed, which is similar to the Tardis on Doctor Who and is vast when you step inside. When the shed was built in 2017, it was basic, and slowly evolved to become a community space for creativity, healing and community connection. 

The garden has been mostly funded by grants from Okehampton Hamlets Parish Council, Okehampton Town Council, Okehampton Rotary, Okehampton United Charity, West Devon Borough Council and Devon County Council.

These grants have enabled OCG to get all the infrastructure built; electricity in the shed, piped water throughout the garden, the polytunnel, compost loo, and can also now boast having the only outdoor sandpit in Okehampton!

Recently the project has received five grants — the National Lottery; Devon Community Fund; two from Devon County Council; and finally the Norman Family Charitable Trust.

‘There are a lot of people who have been hit hard by COVID, so we want to be able to provide outdoor activities and well-being sessions for free using the grants,’ said Linda.

Run by a core team of six people and a committed team of regulars, the garden is open for gardening sessions on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 11am to 4pm. Members of the public are welcome to come in and enjoy the garden at any time; dogs must be kept on a lead.  

‘We are blessed to be in such a beautiful location, surrounded by the magnificence of Dartmoor,’ said Linda. ‘A lot of the interest is from people who have recently moved to Okehampton and surrounding hamlets and they want to meet people and have an outdoor space to grow food. People slowed down a lot during COVID and, while taking their permitted daily exercise, frequently walked past the garden. They have been enthusiastic to come up and get involved. The garden really flourished this past year or so. 

‘People just love the project and want to be involved.

‘One of our new regulars says that his physical and mental health has greatly improved since joining the garden. People who live alone really appreciate the social element that the garden offers.’

On the group's website there is a caption that reads: ‘The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul.’

A very fitting quote for a group that has successfully turned a patch of grass into an area much-loved by the community.