Grants for gardens

PICAL's Warley site has a new green and functional garden thanks to a $20,000 Community Bank Cowes grant.

"The garden completes the transition to the new Warley site," David Rooks, Centre Manager of PICAL commented.

"The landscaped backyard has a number of raised garden beds, a grassy sitting area, shed and gravel pathways."

Chair Peter Paul visited the site with fellow Community Bendigo Bank director John Matthews and was impressed with the new garden.

"The PICAL garden is another example of what your Community Bank Cowes does best, supporting the people that support your community."

In addition to the Community Bank's funding, the project benefitted from volunteer support. The PICAL maintenance team of Mark and Mick built the garden beds, while Newhaven College Year 9 students attended the site over three sessions to help with weeding, filling the garden beds with soil and planting the first crop of fruit and vegies.

Also thanks to the grant, the garden beds provide an opportunity for food grown to be supplied to PICAL's pantry that provides relief food to the community. This is in addition to the food grown at the main garden at the Blue Gum PICAL community garden site which continues to produce an amazing amount of fresh produce that is regularly delivered to the food relief pantry.

If you're interested in volunteering in the new garden, please contact PICAL on 03 5952 1131 or at: www.pical.org.au.

If you're interested in finding out how your local banking can support projects like this, contact Community Bank Cowes, San Remo and Grantville on 03 5952 3383 - they're open five days a week.