IT may have been a wet summer this year, but that has not stopped the team behind the Okehampton Community Garden working hard to bring the project to fruition, writes Tom?French.

Over the summer, the project has gradually taken shape, from an empty parcel of grass land, to a garden for the people of Okehampton.

Polytunnel hoops, sensory and herb gardens have been laid out, storage sheds built and work continues.

The garden on Fatherford Road received the go-ahead in January by Okehampton United Charity, following the hard work of a steering group who presented their designs to the charity before receiving approval.

The land is owned by OUC, and was previously used for pasture. It now will provide a new green space for the community to grow fruit and vegetables, keep chickens and bees, and help care for plants and flowers.

Kay Bickley, Okehampton Commuity Garden treasurer, said: 'My personal feeling is that despite the awful growing and gardening weather over the summer, OCG has enjoyed fantastic support from businesses, groups and individual members since April, for which the OCG steering group is extremely grateful.

'The project is going from strength to strength with an ever growing membership.

'OCG has successfully achieved a £10,000 grant from the Dartmoor Sustainable Development Fund for the meeting shed, which will be released when the planning application has been processed.

'Planning is due to be submitted soon after we have had all the ecology and habitat surveys done that are required for a site of this size.

'We have deliberately put the stock fencing a metre away from the existing hedges to ensure that we encourage biodiversity.

'Our intention is to plant particular flowers and bushes that will encourage butterflies and bees into the garden to encourage pollination both for ourselves and the neighbouring allotments.

'Our lease terms facilitate the keeping of bees and chickens on site and we already have the chickens and chicken coop at the ready.'

The work in the garden has encouraged the involvement of all groups in the area, including residents of Castle Ham Lodge and teenagers from the National Citizenship Scheme and Prince's Trust Team Programme playing their part.

The NGS team worked solidly for four days in August to finish the stonework on the larger sensory garden, level and create the recycling area and start on the stonework boundary between the community garden land and neighbouring allotment path.

In June, youngsters taking part in the Prince's Trust Team programme, a personal development course designed to help young people improve their career prospects, spent a week building a shed, chicken coops, created raised beds and a sensory herb garden.

June also saw the arrival of 75 army cadets to help with a 'Ground Force'-style operation to build a storage shed, arrange a children's planting area and other tasks.

If you would like to join the garden specifically to be part of a beekeeping or chicken-keeping group, contact secretary John Bickley on 01837 53743 or by calling [email protected]">[email protected]

If you are interested in becoming a gardener or friend of the project, can donate any items or wish to share your opinions on what the garden should include, please e-mail steering group member Fran Rickwood on [email protected]">[email protected]