Gettin’ diggy with it...

Volunteers have been clearing shrubs, making raised beds and planting bulbs at our new community garden.

Lincolnshire Co-op is working with charity Green Synergy to transform the space at Olsen Park near the Carlton Centre in Lincoln.

And colleagues from the Society’s head office, post offices, travel branches, food stores and funeral homes teamed up to get the project started.

Ruth Bahr, a counter clerk from Carlton Centre Post Office, said: “It’s a nice space for me to go on my lunch break and I know that lots of the residents really appreciate it.

“It was lovely to come along and I’ll be talking about it to my customers so that they can come and get involved, because it’s for the local community.”

The next day, local residents came along to volunteer. Jean Woolfit, who lives in nearby flats, said she was delighted to help.

"I love gardening and it's the thing I really miss now I have moved into an apartment," said Jean. "I still had my secateurs - they're part of me - so when I heard about this I really wanted to get involved.

"It's lovely to get stuck in. With gardening there's such a lot of job satisfaction because you can see what you've done."

Green Synergy will be organising more gardening days for local residents and has already held consultation meetings with people living in the area to find out what they want from the space.

Plans include tidying up the boules court and green areas, plus creating a large bug hotel, raised beds for vegetables, a pergola and a ‘stump jump’ area for local children.

If you live in the Carlton Centre area of Lincoln and would like to get involved in the community garden, contact Lincolnshire Co-op’s Community team on (01522) 544 632.