A wonderful morning where more than the sun shone.
After weeks of planning, emails, and arrangements, it with thanks to the generous donation from Fitzpatrick Woolmer that our new Revival Right to Grow Community Garden noticeboard has finally been installed at Salt Marsh Lane, and seeing it standing proudly at the entrance to the garden felt like a genuinely special moment.
The day started early as the Fitzpatrick Woolmer team arrived on site alongside their local contractor Neil Shepphard, who had kindly offered his time and even supplied the cement needed for the installation free of charge. Their team worked incredibly hard (and fast, trying to get ahead of the threatening thunderstorm). There was lifting, measuring, levelling, plenty of problem-solving and a fair amount of good humour, all focused on creating something that will serve the local community for many years to come.
While the finished noticeboard looks effortless, the reality is that it represents weeks of generosity, collaboration and goodwill from people who believe, as we do, that community spaces matter.
From the beginning, there was a strong sense that Revival and Fitzpatrick Woolmer shared many of the same values. As a company, Fitzpatrick Woolmer has built a reputation for creating high-quality visitor information and interpretation systems, but what particularly resonated with us was their commitment to sustainability and community benefit. The noticeboard itself is manufactured from recycled materials and designed to last, reflecting a belief that good infrastructure should not only serve communities today but continue serving them for years into the future. It is exactly the kind of thoughtful, long-term investment that projects like Right to Grow depend upon.
We are incredibly grateful to Gary Woolmer, who supported and facilitated the project throughout, and to Mark Woolmer, Managing Director of Fitzpatrick Woolmer, who joined us on installation day. Their enthusiasm for the project was evident from the very beginning, and their willingness to support a community-led wellbeing initiative such as ours speaks volumes about the values of the organisation. Community projects rarely succeed because of one organisation acting alone. More often they succeed because individuals choose to contribute their skills, time and experience, and their generosity is a perfect example of that spirit in action.
As the installation took shape, we found ourselves reflecting on something important. Although this is, on one level, simply a noticeboard, its purpose goes far beyond displaying posters or sharing information. For many people, it will become their first introduction to the garden.
Every week, hundreds of people pass along Salt Marsh Lane. Some know the garden exists; many do not. Some may be looking for volunteering opportunities, some may be interested in growing food, and others may simply be searching for ways to feel more connected to the community around them. The noticeboard gives us a way of reaching those people. It allows us to share activities, events, wellbeing opportunities, seasonal updates and stories from the garden itself, turning what might otherwise be a hidden community asset into a visible invitation.
That idea of invitation has always been central to the Right to Grow project. Although the garden produces food, its primary purpose has never been about vegetables alone. It is about creating opportunities for connection, confidence, learning and wellbeing. It is about offering people a chance to spend time outdoors, to meet others, to learn new skills and to experience the simple but powerful benefits that come from being part of something collective.
Perhaps fittingly, while work on the noticeboard was underway, there was also an opportunity to see just how much the garden itself has grown. Raised beds that only recently were bare soil are now full of colour and life, and among the leaves we spotted the first signs of this year’s courgette crop beginning to emerge. Graham, our volunteer garden co-facilitator, was quick to investigate and even sampled the first courgette flower of the season!
The garden is really taking shape and our new noticeboard will be a focal point for sharing, informing and celebrating opportunities and achievements, ensuring that the garden is a community resource that belongs to everyone. This wonderfully built and installed noticeboard is a visible reminder of what can happen when businesses, volunteers and local people come together around a shared purpose, and we are immensely grateful to everyone who helped make it happen.
You can find out more about the work of Fitzpatrick Woolmer through their website:
