SJOG establish green oasis in King's Cross

SJOG team in the Story Garden

The St John of God Hospitallers (SJOG) always celebrate the feast day of their founder with #DoGoodDay events and activities and events around the country. In central London on Tuesday, together with volunteers from Olallo House, they established a horticultural project - setting up their own raised beds in the Story Garden - a green oasis behind the British Library.

Paweł Zabielski, Service Manager at Olallo House, told ICN: "Our idea is to grow food for the local food bank. It's an opportunity to get outdoors and learn new skills - so important for people to have a project like this to be involved in."

Leanne Welford, chief finance officer with SJOG who is based in Darlington told ICN: "The Story Garden is really special. It's lovely for people who don't have access to their own outside space. There's a kitchen area. Places to sit. They run workshops and courses. We built three raised beds with several volunteers from the hostel."

Nicola Dexter, from SJOG said: "It's very good for people to see a project through from the start. It gives you ownership. We are using the square foot garden method, rather than long rows. It creates a grid effect and works really well. We plan to grow some herbs, such as basil, thyme, dill, parsley, and fennel. As we have quite a transient population we're choosing things that grow quickly like salad crops like lettuce, beetroots and radishes - (which only take eight weeks). There's also an area with netting for peas and beans.

"We planted over a hundred sunflowers. Very symbolic at this time. And they're so good for nature. They attract caterpillars and keep them off the vegetables. That's the 'companion planting' method - nature's own eco system for keeping bugs down. Marigolds are good for that too. One of the beds is ericaceous (acid soil) for plants like bilberries, blueberries juniper."

Nicola said: "Its about teaching skills which could be useful in future. There's also volunteer opportunities here in the Garden. This is all about education and recovery. People and nature together."

The Story Garden Manager Holly Creighton-Hird said: "We are really happy to work with SJOG. The Story Garden is one of three sites run by Global Generation, an environmental education charity. Some of the other groups are using pallets and skips. Some local residents also have plots here - a bit like allotments. It's a lovely community space."

Holly studied Anthropology of Food at SOAS and trained at Organiclea, a community market garden in the Lea Valley.

The Story Garden runs community workshops, various volunteer sessions and schemes, and offers advice and support for new gardeners.

Paweł Zabielski, Service Manager at Olallo House said: "It was a wonderful start for the project. We had gorgeous weather and enjoyed a picnic lunch and home made cakes. For me the most important thing is to offer people the chance to do something like this."

Olallo House is the only project in the country which offers a place of warmth and safety to rough sleepers with 'complex needs' in particular those going through treatment for TB, sometimes victims of trafficking - who have No Recourse to Public Funds . Last year it won three awards for its pioneering work. For more information see: www.indcatholicnews.com/news/43597

Read more about the Story Garden here: www.globalgeneration.org.uk/story-garden