Mayor Amjad Abbasi with Barbara Polonara from BBOWT, left in blue. Picture: Aqeel AkramResidents of Slough discovered a secret green haven in the heart of the town at the official opening of a new community garden.Dozens of locals joined the event at the Ujala Foundation community centre on Villiers Road in July. Mayor Amjad Abbasi officially cut a ribbon to open the space, and was joined by councillors Mohammed Nazir and Shaida Akbar. As well as a host of fruit and vegetables being grown such as tomatoes, onions and carrots, visitors also admired a new wildlife pond, hedgehog house, and saw solitary bees nesting in the giant ‘bug hotel’. They were even treated to a visit from a rare Jersey tiger – a large zebra-striped moth rarely seen this far north in England, showing off the garden’s wildlife credentials.The garden has been created over the past six months by the women’s group, Ujala, with help from neighbours and expert guidance from Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) to make the space as wildlife-friendly as possible.Community Officer Barbara Polonara, who started helping to create the garden in January as part of BBOWT’s Nextdoor Nature project which is helping people across Slough connect with nature said,“This day was such a success, I’m really happy and we had a really great turn-out. The point of the open day, and of the whole garden, is to bring people together to help wildlife and also help their own health and wellbeing. One of the visitors said the big advantage of the garden is that it feels so safe – you can go and read a book and have a quite time, and that’s so valuable – especially for elderly people who sometimes don’t leave their flats very often.”Supporters from St Paul’s Church and Tagreed Ismail, Volunteer Manager from Slough Council for Voluntary Service were also at the opening day event.Find out more at bbowt.org.uk/nextdoor-nature-projects
