A community gardening service supported by believe housing is helping residents manage outdoor spaces they would otherwise struggle to maintain.
The initiative, run by Bishop Auckland Community Partnership’s Cultivate 4 Life project, provides practical support for those facing physical, financial, or emotional barriers to garden upkeep; helping to sustain tenancies and improve the appearance of local estates.
One believe housing customer who has benefitted is 75-year-old Nita Stocks, who lives in a bungalow and has several health conditions including arthritis and a bad chest.
She said: “Even if I had the equipment, I couldn’t manage the garden by myself.
“I priced up getting someone in and it was going to cost £200 and then some. That was too much for me.”
With no tools and growing anxiety about how an untidy garden might affect her tenancy, Nita was relieved to discover the Cultivate 4 Life gardening service.
“I was staring out at the garden, and it was like a field. I was getting stressed and nervous about asking for help,” she said.
“When I found out about Cultivate 4 Life it was such a relief. I rang them and they came out within a couple of hours.”
The service, run by volunteers from the Cultivate 4 Life community garden at Woodhouse Close Estate, offers support with garden maintenance in exchange for a donation.
“They come every couple of weeks in the summer and keep on top of things. They’re lovely, and it’s taken a weight off my mind,” Nita added.
The initiative received a £19,300 capital community grant from not-for-profit landlord believe housing in 2023 to expand its work, including the gardening service and growing plants and produce for local groups. It has also been supported by other organisations, including Bishop Auckland Town Council.
Damian Pearson, Community Investment Team Leader at believe housing, said: “When we awarded the community grant, we were confident Cultivate 4 Life would bring real benefits to the area, including for our customers.
“The allotment is a fantastic space where volunteers are building skills, confidence and wellbeing.
“The gardening service is also making a real difference; reducing stress, supporting tenancies, and helping us deliver healthier homes and well-maintained communities.”
Volunteer Nigel Bryson said the grant from believe housing had helped Cultivate 4 Life’s allotment thrive, attracting more volunteers and making the community gardening service central to the charity’s work.
He added that volunteers find the work rewarding, especially knowing it is appreciated by residents who cannot manage their gardens alone, and that donations help sustain the charity’s wider efforts.
Nita said: “I’m so pleased it’s there for people like me, and I think it’s really good that believe housing has supported Cultivate 4 Life.”
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