The Green Patch is a Groundwork Northants project. Find out more about Groundwork

The Green Patch

The Green Patch: An extraordinary community project

Grey Lindley (Manager)

148 weeks ago

Whilst being a community garden it’s also several other things simultaneously making it an amazingly multi dimensional offering to the people of Northants.

Here’s a list of current projects and offering we have at the patch:
* Workshops and Health and Well-being days. We now have a number of different workshops open to the public, including a meditation and breathing workshop, Pilates and “Make” shops where we make balms, wreaths, soap, etc. Stay tuned to our Facebook feed and this website where we will advertise upcoming workshops and our schedules.
* Community growing scheme. Headed up by Cliff and Grey, the growing scheme offers a £5 and £10 pound veg box every summer (hopefully soon spring and autumn) bursting with fresh cut flowers, and fresh vegetable including an array of rare heritage varieties you won’t find in your local supermarket!
* Volunteering. Our volunteers are a huge part of what makes the Green Patch such a great place to visit. We have very well attended volunteer days on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am-3pm.
* We sell eggs cause we got chickens.
* Plant sales. Every spring we have an annual plant sale which coincides with extra veg left from our spring flower and veg plantings.
* Donations shed and food bank.
* Community beekeeping
* Wildlife areas
* Heritage orchard scheme.
* Animals: Ducks, Chickens and Rabbits make the patch almost like a petting zoo, not actually but it’s close enough to give everyone the great pleasure of spending time with some beautiful animals.
* Open days. Every year we have at least one if not two fetes/fairs/open fun day extravaganzas!
* Agroforestry. This is a new project and we’ll be doing our first food forest plantings this Autumn.
* Special needs services. This is a huge part of our life at the patch. The Green Patch is an important part of Groundwork’s Northamptonshire, and we host sessions for individuals with special needs allowing them to access a safe outdoor environment several times every week.
* Hosting community projects. We are partnered with other local projects who use the patch to help them do what they do best including Natural-Ise and Picture the Difference.
* As part of Groundwork UK we are now hosting several Kickstart placements allowing young people previously out of work the opportunity to grow and develop new skills.
* Venue for hire. Several other organisations and groups hire the Green Patch regularly for meetings, team sways days and community sessions. [Find out more about hiring the patch (or part of the patch!)]
* Workshop. We have a fledgling workshop for building making and repairing.
* Book swap. A new fledgling community library. We’re trying to get a phone box for it!

Protecting the planet and environment is at the heart of the Green Patch.

Every year:
- The Green Patch team produce 280 veggie boxes
- 25.3 tonnes of rainwater are harvested and used
- 223.2 kg of carbon is sequestered from the green roofs on site
- The habitats on site provide homes for over 100 species of insects, reptiles, plants and mammals.
- We also have more than 30 different varieties of perennial and edible plants growing in our community green space.

The mind boggles when we try and process this all at once.
Come and see for yourself. We’re open to the public Tuesdays and Thursdays 10am-3pm.