What has Bracknell Forest Council done to help save a much-loved community garden in Jealott’s Hill?

That’s the question being put to council leaders after news that Jealott’s Hill Community Landshare is set to be mothballed on Monday, September 11.

The Jealott’s Hill Community Landshare is a six-acre garden offering community, health and well-being to its volunteers – welcoming people with disabilities or disadvantaged backgrounds.

But now its future is at risk after social landlord Silva Homes – which is the leaseholder for the land – decided to pull out, following decisions by Bracknell Town Council and Warfield Parish Council to do the same.

Now, councillor John Harrison is asking Bracknell Forest Council leaders to explain what they did to secure its future.

In a question to councillor Helen Purnell – responsible for the environment and community cohesion - he asks: “Would the Executive member responsible for liaison with community groups please update the Council on what they have done to ensure a viable future for the Jealotts Hill Community Landshare?”

READ MORE: Volunteers fear for Jealott's Hill Community Landshare

The landshare was set up some 10 years ago, and has helped people with special educational needs and disabilities to learn gardening skills, and instilled feelings of belonging and self-esteem in its volunteers.

The land is owned by agricultural science company Syngenta, but was leased to Silva Homes, Bracknell Town Council and Warfield Parish Council to use for the landshare.

But the two councils both voted to withdraw from the project in March this year. Silva Homes then told volunteers earlier this month that it would do the same.

Silva said the cost of running the site was outstripping the funding it received to keep it going, and it had been unable to fund a new partner to help run the landshare.

Syngenta says it still wants the space to be kept for the landshare. But the lease is set to end on September 29, and the project will be mothballed on Monday, September 11 until a new leaseholder can be found.

Last week, volunteer Valerie Nowroz explained the work the garden did to help young people with special educational needs, and her own love for the project.

She said: “Special schools in Bracknell would bring students to spend the day there, garden and have a picnic. We had arts and crafts for them. We had people with Aspergers, autism and Alzheimer’s.

“We used to encourage them to plant things, to harvest things and take responsibility for what they harvested. I’ve seen changes in people who have got Aspergers and Alzheimer’s. They grow into themselves.”

Councillor Purnell is set to answer the question at a meeting of Bracknell Forest Council on Wednesday, September 13.