Fountain project wins UK prize on The One Show

The Bastion Community Allotment which was the brainchild of Jeanette Warke, who is the project manager at the Cathedral Youth Club, was named the winner of the My Chelsea Community Garden Competition live on BBC’s The One Show on Wednesday.

The horticultural competition is organised by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and among those paying tribute to Jeanette’s vision was well-known gardener Monty Don.

Ms Warke decided to utilise an empty space in the Cityside over 10 years ago to help local people grow their own produce.

“There was not a piece here, it was a complete waste ground just lying here gathering rubbish before,” Ms Warke told The One Show crew.

“I brought the community on board and my vision was to grow good food produce that they (the local community) would not have been able to grow themselves as they don’t have the room in their own gardens.”

The garden, which is located beside the city Walls, is tended to by volunteers from throughout the Fountain estate.

Jeanette, who thought the crew was there to capture her project on film for shortlisting, was then visibly moved when she realised that the Bastion Community Allotment had in fact won the competiotion.