Tanjina

“I turned to gardening 11 years ago when a tragic moment in my life turned my world upside down. A fantastic neighbourhood centre manager chose me to lead a brand new community garden project from its inception, and nine years on, I’m still running the project, which has gone from strength to strength.

Gardening is hard work, and the project is ongoing with no end in sight. Some years have been difficult with few volunteers, and major works need doing while others times it’s been busy, bustling with activity with lush plants of all kinds growing.

Limborough community garden has given so many people so much joy, a place to relax in, get some exercise, make new friends, share ideas and thoughts and above all, grow fruits and vegetables, knowing that everything produced was healthy, wholesome and fresh.

I’ve run workshops here, invited schools for visits, organised corporate volunteering days and even had the pleasure of being an inspiration for Chris Beardshaw’s Best in Show Award at Chelsea Flower Show for Limborough Garden!

For me, volunteering meant I was able to find myself again and find my calling to do something great for the local community by bringing people of all backgrounds together and sharing a small piece of land that has brought pleasure to many people over the years.

Volunteering at the garden has silenced the noise inside my head and slowed down my pace, helping me regain mental stability and clarity and ground myself literally with what’s most important.

Every year when things are tough, I consider signing off from this role, but then I walk in through the gates and realise I couldn’t possibly leave so soon when there’s still so much to be done. And when the other volunteers turn to me for help and advice, I know I still have a job to do and serve a purpose here. Volunteering doesn’t give you recognised benefits, but what it does is feed the soul, and in hard times like now, nourishing the soul keeps us surviving and looking forward with hope.”