Photos by Sam Burt (QEHS Audio Visual unit)

Hexham Community Garden Project

During the past ten years local young people have been waging war on the thistles and weeds in Queen Elizabeth High School’s Victorian walled garden. Formerly the kitchen garden supplying the late 19th century Tynedale Hydropathic Hotel, the garden had been forgotten and neglected for years. But thanks to efforts of Emma Thompson, who re-discovered the garden as a sixth form student at QEHS, it has now been reclaimed to become a blossoming and vibrant community garden.

Situated behind the QEHS Hydro building, the Hexham Walled Garden Project provides a safe and welcoming space where students from the high school and local first schools, community volunteers, groups from ‘Gateway into the Community’, and young people from specialist schools and the wider local community have discovered the joys of gardening. Winding pathways, ponds, and willow arbours create a relaxing atmosphere. The glass greenhouses have been restored and the original grapevine is still flourishing.

From September 2006 the school has offered an NVQ course in Horticulture, run by staff member Emma Thompson:

“We have created ponds to attract frogs, dragonflies and other insect life. We grow many kinds of fruit and vegetables, trees, shrubs, herbaceous borders and a range of unusual plants. There are also many seating areas among the trees and flowers where people can relax.

A group of young people recently applied for a Keyfund grant and successfully raised £750 towards our large new shed, with a further contribution from the Local Network Fund. Members of the garden group did a wonderful job laying the concrete base and the shed is now up. This is a fantastic resource for the garden and will provide classroom and training space for all the garden groups, especially on wet days and in the winter.”

Hexham Walled Garden fundraises for plants, equipment and resources for the young people with the help of The Friends of QEHS and also receives support from the Community Education dept. It has won acclaim in the Northumbria in Bloom competitions. And from 2006 the garden has taken part in the National Gardens Charity Scheme with annual open days for the public.

Students have recently completed ASDAN awards based on community work in the garden. And once again the garden is supplying fresh organic fruit and vegetables - this time for the tables of QEHS's own Charter Restaurant.

The Walled Garden is open during term-time:

Tuesdays — 1st and 2nd lunch,
(Gateway’s ‘Ladies Who Garden’ group 2.00 – 3.30pm)
Wednesdays — 1st lunch
Sundays — from 2.00pm

Alternative times can be arranged.

Everyone is welcome! The Garden is open to students and staff who would like to either help or just sit and enjoy their lunch in peace.

For further information contact Emma Thompson c/o Keda Norman, on tel 01434 617650, Helen Bailey (QEHS), on tel 01434 610300, or Community Education Dept. on tel 01434 610347.

[Page last updated 10th October 2007]