Wendy has a long history in community development. She recently returned from volunteer work in Vanuatu and is a keen gardener. “I’m really looking forward to working with the many communities involved in community gardening. I see community gardens as spaces that are for bringing together people from a myriad of backgrounds and experience. I’m keen to support groups to create new gardens all over this beautiful city”

Kids edible gardens will also benefit from Wendy’s presence, especially schools that want their edible garden open to community involvement or to use plots at a community garden as an experiential learning tool.

At present 11 schools throughout Christchurch are assisted by the Kids Edible Gardens team at the Organic Garden City Trust (OGCT). There are many other schools across the city with gardens. Some began with the Kids’ Edible Gardens programme and are now themselves sustaining their edible garden. Kids’ Edible Gardens supports school gardening by providing garden facilitators to play and learn with the children and ideally, alongside volunteers from the community.

“This kind of experiential education is sowing seeds of sensitivity and understanding in children’s awareness of their natural environment”, says project coordinator Christopher Reid. “Children are discovering that their food does not grow in plastic bags from the supermarket thanks to more and more gardens growing in schools and early childhood centres across the city.”

The City Council wants to encourage these links to ensure kids edible gardens and community gardens continue to flourish.

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