A community garden in Greerton, Tauranga is thriving this summer thanks to the hard work of the local community – including Tongariro Prison and Greerton Community Corrections.
Seedlings for the garden were provided by Tongariro Prison and Bunnings Mt Maunganui to the community work team based in Greerton. This has allowed the garden to be completely revamped and planted with a wide range of veggies including carrots, cucumbers, beetroot, lettuce and more. New covers were provided to protect the produce thanks to one of the team and lead garden Community Work Supervisor Ross Hamilton.
The veggies from the garden are donated to people in need in the local community, including the local Women’s Refuge, Under the Stars and other organisations in Tauranga which work to feed the homeless.
“The other great part of a project like this, is that people serving community sentences learn new skills about growing food, which they can then take home to their own whānau,” says Probation Officer Linda Way.
These horticulture and food production skills can also translate into employable life skills, which have long term benefits to their own health as well as their whānau.
The gardens will continue to be maintained by the community work team and Corrections staff who will harvest crops and deliver them to local community organisations.
Community gardens are just one example of how community work gives back to local people. Other examples include graffiti removal, planting public spaces and waterways, maintaining picnic and playground areas, and more.
