We are building a community garden at Foley Estate, Hereford, to improve air quality, encourage wildlife and enhance shared communal space.
Who are we?
Hereford yoga CIC is a social enterprise run by a group of volunteers who care about balance; especially the balance of people and planet.
Where are we?
We're based in Hereford, in a unit at Foley Trading Estate. The estate is a series of 1970s warehouses on tarmac. Many units are used for community activities such as yoga/martial arts/roller skating/ceramics/dance & a training centre for referred young people.
Why a Community Garden?
Foley matters to our community; hundreds of locals come here each week to improve health & wellbeing. They feed back, however, that the built environment is unwelcoming/grey/unattractive/dangerous, & that this puts them & others off coming here. Green Up Foley has been developed in response to those concerns. As well as increasing access to healthy activities, the Community Garden will provide a space for people to come together, building relationships across communities & consolidating the important position that Foley occupies in the social regeneration of our city.
What will it be like?
The project’s been designed following a comprehensive community consultation (conversations, online/paper surveys distributed via local businesses & community groups, over 100 responses from locals aged 16-75+). 100 % of respondents are in favour of the garden. The following requested elements will be included to create an accessible, welcoming, inclusive environment:
Will it be used?
Yes! People say they will use the Garden to socialise before/after classes (72%) meet friends (25%) share a drink from the café (52%) wait for their kids/partners (36%) step out of work for daylight (61%) or sit in quiet (49%).
The Garden will provide a hub for everyone, encouraging communication between and across communities and generations.
How will it happen?
People will be consulted again during the design process. Planting will emphasise pollination, wildlife habitats & greenery. Plants will be hardy, low-maintenance & varied, ensuring successful & attractive growth throughout the year. Volunteers will be involved in landscaping & planting (with guidance of experienced professionals); others will be aware of the changing space when accessing other areas of the estate, all of which will generate interest.
We’ll celebrate completion with a Garden Party, publicised through social media/ mailing lists/community newsletters/press/radio, which all of our donors will be invited to.
A dedicated group of volunteers of different ages, & from diverse backgrounds, will create & maintain the garden. This will encourage cross-generational friendships & exchange of skills/knowledge. Wellbeing will be improved not only for those actively maintaining the garden but also those who drop by. We will evaluate how, & how often, people use the garden, carrying out a follow-up consultation after one year to see what works/we can improve on.
How will your money be spent?
All donations will be spent directly on landscaping and plants. Your donation today will allow us to realise the communal vision of a diverse group of people interested in bringing our urban space to life. The longevity of the project is unlimited. The garden will continue to grow for years, with future generations enjoying the benefits. This Community Garden will act as a small seed of change for further-reaching alterations to our local built environment, providing communal spaces for people & nature to sustainably co-exist into the future.
This project successfully funded on 9th October 2019