Garden lead

Naomi first saw the potential of the garden when bringing her son to the toddler group held in St Luke’s church hall. At this stage, the garden had been cleared but remained an empty space covered by black plastic. Naomi, a keen garden, offered to get involved in developing the garden and after initially working with Dave Richards of Food4families, took on the role of garden lead and tutor for the regular sessions. Naomi has overseen the development of the garden from its initial planning to the beautiful productive space it now is.

Secretary

Mary, as a member of St Luke’s church and a long-term keen gardener, was quick to join Naomi in the cultivation of the garden and has been an important pillar in the social life of the garden community. In addition to contributing her horticultural skills, Mary generously employs her baking expertise to reward gardeners at the end of each session and to bring many a visitor to the garden’s open afternoons. Mary also shows how the garden’s produce can be used to make all sorts of jams and chutneys, or used in pizzas or cakes.

Chair

Rowena has long been a keen but frustrated gardener, never having enough time to garden while raising a family and working. On retirement, her passion for gardening has been able to blossom and she now volunteers at many of the community gardens around Reading. She found the Erleigh Road Community Garden at one of its open afternoons and quickly fell in love with the secluded walled garden. Building on her experience volunteering at other gardens she thus helped with setting up the charity to run the garden.

Treasurer