Over the last few weeks we've been asking you to nominate local areas or spaces in Kent that are in desperate need of some love and attention. After a huge number of entries from across the county, we’ve chosen a very special community project in
Maidstone - Shepway Chariots community garden.
Day 1 – Monday 22 July
Our first team of Kent Reliance volunteers cleared, chopped and weeded the area that will be transformed into an enchanted corner by the end of the week. The team also dug up potatoes, fed the chickens, painted sheds and the bug hotel, scrubbed the classroom
hut and prepped the walls ready for painting.
Hear about our Day 1 progress on Audioboom.
Day 2 – Tuesday 23 July
The hard work continued as our small army of volunteers cleared and redesigned the wildlife corner ready for the finishing touches later on in the week. Plus, it was a day of painting inside and outside, including the classroom hut, bee shed and fences.
Hear about our Day 2 progress onAudioboom.
Day 3 – Wednesday 24 July
Our volunteers had a very busy day in the sunshine building a beehive, creating a bug hotel, scrubbing the classroom floor, planting hanging baskets and painting fences, sheds and the enchanted corner.
Hear about our Day 3 progress on
Audioboom.
Day 4 – Thursday 25 July
On the hottest day of the year so far, the team beat the heat and installed a mural in the classroom, crafted decorations and signage for the enchanted corner and wildlife corner, created an insect hideaway and planted plenty of flowers.
Hear about our Day 4 progress on Audioboom.
Hear more about our community work from our
Chief Executive, Andy Golding.
Day 5 – Friday 26 July
We did it! After an exciting week of digging, weeding, chopping, planting, painting, creating, decorating and more, our twenty Kent Reliance volunteers worked amidst record-breaking temperatures to finish the project.
Along with volunteers from Shepway Chariots and kmfm, we revealed the finished areas of the community garden including a brand new enchanted corner, wildlife area, beehive, bug hotels and revamped classroom.
More about this year’s project
Shepway Chariots community garden and wildlife corner is run completely by volunteers. The half-acre of green space encourages local residents and families to learn how to grow, tend and harvest their own fresh fruit and vegetables. The charity works
hard to spread awareness about the environment, biodiversity and wildlife, as well as practicing recycling and compositing on site. The small team at Shepway Chariots have regular visits from local primary schools, nurseries and families and hold
a free children's gardening club called Shepway Shallots!
Kent Reliance has been supporting the people of Kent for over 150 years. We’re passionate about helping our local community and that’s why we’re proud to work on Project Kent again this year in partnership with kmfm.
Watch the ‘before’ video for Shepway Chariots Community Garden to find out more about this fantastic charity.
Follow our progress on Twitter and Facebook, or listen to kmfm radio on
DAB, FM or smart speaker.