Plans to create an all-weather path suitable for wheelchair access at the Rye Community Garden in Love Lane were given a boost last Thursday March 22, when representatives from the Toyota Centre in Hastings presented a cheque for £2,000. Mark Raczowski, Toyota Sales Manager and Mel Ball, Marketing Manager, were shown round the garden by Nigel Jennings and Dominic Manning, who both live in Love Lane.
“This fits well with our community grant objectives for environmental and public access projects”, said Mark Raczowski, “and we will be interested to watch it progress.”
In addition to replacing and extending the present woodchip path to improve site accessibility, Dominic outlined plans for installing a composting toilet and a small pond, projects that will take their place in the continuing evolution of the area. “We want to extend people’s knowledge and enjoyment of gardening”, he said, “and the community garden is a good point of entry for people who don’t have their own garden or allotment to engage with growing vegetables and fruit; and at the end you have produce that you can enjoy.”
Nigel Jennings pointed to the young apple trees, identifying one as a Saltcote Pippin, first recorded in a garden at the top of Rye Hill in 1918, and favoured for its juicy flesh and aromatic taste, becoming sweeter with storage.
The Community Garden is hoping to recruit a part-time paid co-ordinator who can get the word out about this community facility in order to increase the local public’s enjoyment. “At present, we get visits from local groups such as Age UK Healthy Living Group and the Brownies,” said Dominic, ”and we would like to make it more widely known and available. We have regular work sessions on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of each month between 2-4pm and on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays between 11am – 1pm. New volunteers are always welcome.”
Photo: Kenneth Bird