But a survey out today suggests that community gardening could be the
answer to better community cohesion, helping to bring neighbourhoods back
together in the way that the village shop or post office used to.
The survey, from ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, questioned people about their
views on community life, how well they know people in their neighbourhood and
how involved they are in local activities, to find out what makes people feel
engaged in their local community and whether or not a community garden could
provide a support network for those who feel lonely and disconnected, a problem
experienced by a growing number of soldiers when they leave the Army and find
themselves without the support that military life provides.
The results show that whilst almost three in five (58%) British adults
say that they don’t know people within their community well and 69% do not
currently take part in any activities within their local community, nearly a
quarter (24%) say they would get involved in a community garden if they had the
opportunity and almost two in five (37%) think it would help them feel more
engaged with their local neighbourhood.
Crucially, almost a third (31%) of those who admitted to regularly feeling
lonely believed a community garden would offer them a support network.
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