Robbie and I recently visited our nominated charity for 2026/27, The Garden Gate Project, a one and a half acre walled garden in Northdown Park, Margate. The community garden is open to the public (Monday to Friday, 10 til 3), offering a tranquil place to visit, volunteer and connect with others. They provide therapeutic activities, learning opportunities and social experiences for adults with mental ill health and / or learning disabilities.
When we were there, volunteers were busy in the garden and there were supported craft activities underway, alongside those taking the chance for a cup of tea and a chat. The centre supports a wide range of activities, including gardening and seasonal planting, woodwork and basic carpentry, arts and crafts and nature-based projects.
The flowers have been a challenge with the dry weather this summer, but they still had an impressive array of blooms on show, and bunches can be ordered from their online shop. They also have a number of days when you can pop in to pick your own flowers and they are growing their own willow to support weaving workshops, so worth checking their website for dates and availability.
Their most recent event was a music day in July with live music and refreshments, plenty of which were courtesy of their large wood-fired pizza oven. They also held a spring open day, and have plans for a similar day in October, and we’ll share details when we know more.
https://www.thegardengateproject.co.uk/post/standing-strong-through-a-summer-of-heat
We intend to get representatives along to talk about the project at our open committee meeting in October, and would welcome ideas from the club on additional ideas for fundraising or voluntary activities to add to a quiz night.
Tim McLellan
media@thanetroadrunnersac.co.uk
