Katherine Sale and Frances Knight of the Hawker Community Garden
The Hawker Community Garden in Belconnen is showing the promise of locally making fresh herbs and vegetables in the surrounding suburb following the receipt of an ACT Government Community Garden Grant.
Supporting community gardens around Canberra for the past seven years, the Garden Grants have provided funding for groups to buy materials and tools or hire contractors for work on new and existing community gardens all across the ACT.
Applications are now open for the 2022-2023 Community Garden Grants program.
According to the leaders of the Hawker Community Garden, Frances Knight and Katherine Sale, the community gardens serve as an outlet for the local community.
“Gardens are a space for introverts and extroverts,” Ms Knight said.
“I find gardens healing.”
She said that as a gardener people are always planning for the future and looking forward.
“For me it is a healthy way to get out of a negative headspace,” she said.
The Government is of the view that community gardens have many benefits.
“They provide opportunities for people to grow their own food, offer space for movement and recreation, help people develop skills and provide a place for people to meet with others,” it said.
“With $40,000 of grant funding available, not-for-profit community organisations, groups and owners’ corporations can apply for up to $10,000 per project.”
Hawker’s Frances Knight offered her advice for any community groups looking to establish their own garden and make a grant application.
“The application process is fairly simple,” Ms Knight said.
‘You need to have a clear plan for your garden, and then explain how your project will meet
“Give yourself enough time to make sure you can tick all the boxes, and then write your application. If you have never done one before and you are a small group, the best thing you can do is find another more established group and ask them questions.”
Information about the grants and how to apply for them can be accessed at this PS News link.
Applications for all programs close 8 July.
