Great Close, Church Farm, Church Street, DUNTON, Beds, SG18 8RW

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A W Dansey Associates

  

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PROJECTS  - ‘Dunton Fruit & Veg project’,

The aim of DCGG is to advance the education, skills and well-being of the public at large and those with particular needs.  DCGG began in January 2001 in the 1/3 acre back garden of one of our members. We became a registered charity in 2006, and took over the lease of a 1 ½ acre site – Great Close - in the same year. It had previously been cropped for hay and is gradually growing! We now have a polytunnel, compost toilet and office facilities.

 

Our aims for Great Close are to provide an organic demonstration garden for the wider local community to enjoy and learn from. Two current main strands are creating a village park with seating and ornamental plants, and Dunton Fruit and Veg Project, which has been funded for three years by the Big Lottery Local Food Programme, building on the work we have started, providing local organically grown produce. We count approximately 700 visitors each year.

 

A group of regular volunteers, some with special needs, e.g. people with mental distress, the unemployed, people working on community payback through the Probation Service, people with learning disabilities, and disadvantaged young people, maintain and develop Great Close. The outcomes for these people include enhanced self esteem, social skills, organisational and planning skills, horticultural knowledge and skills, and transferable work skills. In addition, a sense of community is fostered between people with special needs and those with no such needs working together, thus helping to overcome social stereotypes.

 

‘Dunton Fruit & Veg project’, will build on our work in growing and selling produce. This is a major project for us, providing us with funding for two part-time posts – a Project Worker and an Administration Worker –, allowing us to considerably expand our production of fresh produce, run appropriate workshops, hold food celebration events, market our produce and develop the organisation to a new level.  As part of this project, we are also seeking funding to enable us to provide a salary for a Garden Assistant who would be available for the Dunton Fruit and Veg Project on a part time basis.

 

This is a very exciting time to be joining DCGG – it is still possible to visualise the open bare site – but as the fruit trees and hedging already planted grow up the character of Great Close Field will soon develop.