RESIDENTS of all walks of life in?Okehampton are to be invited to join in a new green project in the town.

From growing vegetables and flowers to selling seeds and making jams and chutneys, there will be something for everyone.

The opportunity has come about thanks to the go-ahead being given to the Okehampton Community Garden, which will be on?Fatherford Road.

Town residents, including the elderly, the disabled, teenagers and families, will be invited to take part and grow their own fruit and vegetables.

John Bickley, Okehampton Community Garden secretary said: 'The garden will be for the whole Okehampton community and has already been well supported by businesses, groups and individuals. We are very keen to make progress, get onto site and start growing.'

A steering group of five Okehampton residents has been working on the development of the Okehampton Community Garden with Lois Gallimore, the community projects officer of Devon food project supporter HogCO (Home Grown Community Owned) and Karen Percival, the clerk of Okehampton United Charity.

The garden site was owned by Okehampton United Charity, and is near to the current allotments.

The team behind the garden presented their garden design and plans to the OUC in January, and they decided to approve the plans and release the entire plot for the garden.

The group will now submit an application for full planning permission so that work on the site can get underway as soon as possible.

Members of the garden will be able to share their expertise during community garden days to be held twice a week, and share out harvested produce.

Gardeners will be supported by obtaining funding, maintaining and sharing tools, seeds and other resources.

A children's area for growing vegetables and flowers, a wild meadow area, a pond, a sensory area, a meeting shed with solar PV panels on the roof and a borehole to supply the garden's water are all ideas that were

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