Tucked away in Willen Park is the incredible community of Camphill MK – a place where people with learning disabilities and autism live, learn, work and celebrate together. Camphill MK also boasts a vegetarian Cafe, the Chrysalis Theatre, weavery and ceramics workshops. To help them develop their new garden spaces, they are setting up a Tuesday Gardening Club and are looking for volunteers to make it happen.

Up to 65 residents live together in a community, and their gardens and allotments have been an integral aspect of their ethos since they were established 40-years ago. They are now expanding and enhancing their grounds to turn one of their paddocks into an outdoor learning zone.

If you know Camphill MK, you will, without doubt, have visited their café, which serves incredible produce grown on-site in their allotments, benefiting from a strong organic principle of not using any chemicals and utilising the no-dig method.

“There is an experienced team supporting the gardens, both staff and the residents,” Head Gardener Giorgia told us, “but this is a significant project that we would value support from our local community to achieve. I will be on hand to brief volunteers, and we can provide all tools and equipment.”

The new outdoor site will have raised beds, a storytelling circle, a forest garden, polytunnels, compost toilets, and will be a key part of daily life for the Camphill Community.

A lot of work is needed to prepare the paddock, including the clearing of brambles, preparing the ground, and even re-roofing a 100 sq ft straw-bale roundhouse. So, if you have some spare time Tuesdays, Camphill MK is looking for volunteers to join their Tuesday Gardening Club between 9am-12 noon and will also welcome teams from companies wanting to support local projects.

If you are interested, drop them an email at office@camphillmk.co.uk