In Sprowston, just outside of Norwich, a community gardening project has been set up in order to combat social isolation. Social isolation is an increasingly big problem: in 2016, around 7.7 million people lived alone in the UK. It’s estimated that an extra 1.7 million people will be living alone in England over the next 25 years. Many of these people will be elderly men and women. We’re a community-minded company, so we contributed a helping hand to the Sprowston project.
What is the Project?
The scheme offers people living in Sprowston and surrounding area the chance to grow their own plants and vegetables. Two large greenhouses are available for the project and, unlike renting allotment spaces, the scheme is free to join and easy-to-manage. The two greenhouses are open at any time during the week and people can turn up whenever they please.
The lead volunteer of the project, Mike Ellard, told the EDP:
“With this, you are not given a great big patch of land which can be quite daunting. Instead you will be able to grow a few tomato plants, peppers, aubergines for yourself and other people will help look after them.â€
Why is the Project Important?
Social isolation is one of the biggest obstacles that elderly people in the UK have to face. Social isolation can lead to depression and anxiety and leave many people feeling as if they are not wanted. Many people live alone due to the deaths of loved ones. Getting out in the community – even if it is just one day a week – can improve self-esteem.
How Did We Help?
As you may have guessed, we provided the skips. We provided the project with one of our 12-yard skips at an extremely discounted price. We provided the skip for one week and we’ll be continuing to support the project.
Are you having any gardening work done? We have smaller skips that are perfect for domestic garden waste. If you need a skip, contact us. Call us on 01493 668118 or email us on info@wtskiphire.co.uk.
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest company news and tips and tricks.