Community Garden: Wombwell’s line side garden has walked away with the Barnsley’s best community garden award in a competition organised by the Barnsley Chronicle, pictured receiving the award on behalf of the group is Eileen Parry.
OTHER than taking on a desert it’s hard to imagine a tougher plot of land to grow anything in than what the volunteers at Wombwell Station Community Garden have had to deal with.
The group have a long stretch of land beside the railway station which was once used to store machinery.
With no soil to speak of, pickaxes have been more useful than shovels but after years of hard work, there is now plenty of life and community spirit on show.
Local families use it to grow their own produce and it is also a space to socialise for some of the retired volunteers.
The group narrowly edged out Springvale Community Garden to this year’s award.
One of the volunteers, Eileen Parry, said: “I am surprised and delighted.
“What a community about is providing for one another, not just produce but socially too.
“I can’t garden any more so I come down for the chats.
“Despite the fact we’re near a main road and the railway it’s very quiet and peaceful.
“It’s a big space and there is room for more people.
“The volunteers will all be thrilled to get this recognition and I think there might be a few arguments as to who keeps the trophy.”
Coun Dave Leech was impressed upon visiting the site and learning about its history.
He added: “To say the area they have got is barren and hardcored land, what they have done is absolutely fantastic.
“Again they are worthy winners.
“It’s part of our culture – Barnsley is about everybody joining in and they have 20-odd plots with room for more and people joining every day.
“The community spirit is absolutely brilliant.
“To do this from scratch is a testament to the hard work and with more people coming on board they can continue to do more.”
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