Braving the rain and working with the Avon Wildlife Trust, the group have worked hard to reveal hidden benches, fruit bushes and even a wildlife pond, all in much need of some tender loving care.
After this initial clearing stage, the plan is to grow fruit and vegetables, create a wildlife garden and encourage people back through the gates, to take pride in the garden and enjoy it once again.
Danielle Jackson, a 3rd year Geography student at Bristol University and a manager at FoodCycle Bristol, said: “Before we started, the garden was disguised by a knotty, tangled mess of brambles and bracken which had grown absolutely wild. Our mega litter pick resulted in about 16 bags of assorted recycling and rubbish, including bottle, cans and more random items such as shoes, a car radio and even a lamp.
“With the expert advice of a local tree surgeon, a few rogue trees were pruned back to a less imposing size and we carried out some extreme pruning to reveal a really big space, somewhere we hope will be enjoyed by the community, both for leisure and learning.”
FoodCycle Bristol caters for around 50 people at the Easton Community Centre every Sunday as part of its efforts to alleviate food poverty. It collects food from supermarkets and grocers across the city, which would otherwise be throw away.
Student volunteers hopes to use the garden to educate people about food poverty and encourage them to grow their own fruit, vegetables and herbs.
Matt Harcourt, Communities and Nature Project Officer at the Avon Wildlife Trust, said: “The Easton Corner Garden Project is such a great space and has so much potential both for people and wildlife. The garden has had lots of time and effort put into it over the past few years but has recently become overgrown and used for antisocial behaviour.
“The aim is to work with local people and groups who use the Community centre and incorporate a gardening session before the Sunday FoodCycle meal in the community centre, to re-establish the momentum of people using the site in a positive manner and inspire them about their local green spaces and the amazing wildlife that lives on our doorsteps.”
For further information or to get involved, please see the FoodCycle Bristol Facebook page, join the mailing list via http://groupspaces.com/FoodCycleBristol/ or email foodcyclebristol@gmail.com