“The single greatest lesson the garden teaches is that our relationship to the planet need not be zero-sum, and that as long as the sun still shines and people still can plan and plant, think and do, we can, if we bother to try, find ways to provide for ourselves without diminishing the world. ” – Michael Pollan
So we finally managed to secure a couple of thousand pounds funding for infrastructure work on our disused tennis courts site, this of course has made a great difference and has accelerated the setting up of the project no end in terms of ordering and buying some of the resources needed to kick the project into gear. We have also had some interesting developments with human resources too. Whilst I was busy sowing seeds on the site a few weeks ago, a guy came over to me and asked what I was doing, I explained to him a little about the project and he introduced me to his partner who was also interested in volunteering. I sat with the couple after I’d finished seed sowing and had a pint and a chat with them about what we were trying to achieve in terms of helping local people to generate food security by growing their own usable resources. Both of them were excited by the idea and have attended the site where they helped us to move 4 tons of topsoil and 6 heavy railway sleepers that will form the supports for our shelter. 
Community minded
One of the best sessions that we had was when five people turned up to help make raised beds. Chris Wood our community development worker and Big Phil as local support worker helped out for most of the day, as did local gardener and former bricklaying teacher Rickie. On that particular day we managed to make 14 large raised beds and dig out around five tons of rubbish and rubble for the pathway leading to the site. After finishing this difficult work due to the searing heat I made everyone cups of tea and coffee on my portable rocket stove and we all sat and talked about everything from keeping chickens to making your own wines and beers. 
The next stage
After the raised beds were completed and laid out in the site area where they will be most effective, 4 tons of topsoil were ordered from a local yard and dropped at the site ready for us to barrow down across the bowling green and onto the old tennis court site. Once again we were helped out by local community members who didn’t need to be asked, they simply turned up and got stuck in. Once all of the soil has filled the beds the planting can then begin. I then cycled up to the site early this morning and planted two beds of herbs situated close to the shelter where they will be used in cooking and making beverages.
Steve