The Gathering Place Community Garden

An holistic approach to Community

Gardening

Our local area

• The Kilburn/Blair Athol area has amongst the highest rates in metropolitan Adelaide for heart disease, respiratory disease, cancer and mental illness

• Large influx of refugees/new arrivals

• Low socio-economic area

with high unemployment

The Garden’s History

•Started in 2002 as a joint initiative between Adelaide Central Community Health Service, SA Housing Trust and Eastern Community Mental Health Service

•Based in the backyard of a Housing Trust home used as a community information and meeting point

The Garden’s History

•In 2005 moved to The HEALS Centre in Blair Athol

•Continued to be a joint collaboration between Adelaide Central Community Health Service and Eastern Community Mental Health Service

•In November 2009 became part of the HEALS Centre programme

The HEALS Centre (Health Education and Life Skills Centre)

•A Uniting Church initiative set up in response to the health issues faced by the local community

•We offer help and support in order to address illness, disease and other life issues

Garden DaysGrowing food

Cooking with fresh garden produce

Sharing a meal

Life skills

Practical information and advice on:

•Gardening

•Cooking

•Health Issues

•Exercise

•Lifestyle choices

Other outcomes

•Friendship

•Social contact

•Spiritual Guidance

•Building confidence

•Creating a sense of achievement

Gardening knowledge

•Encouragement

•Helping each other

•Experimenting

•Hands- on

Our volunteers

We hope that in time all our participants will begin to take responsibility for the whole of their lives, and then begin to help others do the same

Financial sustainabilityContinuous fundraising to work towards the garden becoming self-sufficient

Fundraising

A monthly market selling craft items, plants, seeds and any excess produce from the garden

Our Vision

‘The question is not how to cure, but how to live’

Moving forward

Food SecurityAccess to cheap fresh food

Kinder Gardening

Involving pre-school children in growing and preparing food

Community Art Projects

Dragon Seat

Mosaic Workshop

The Gathering Place Community Garden,Blair Athol, Adelaide, South Australia.