Fran Brady, Quaker representative on the ECI committee, wrote this article:
Cherry Orchard Community Garden was set up in 2010 by the Cherry Orchard Regeneration Board with funding from Dublin City Council and assistance from City Dublin Vocational Educational Committee (now the Education and Training Board).
Management of the garden was handed over to the Ballyfermot/Chapelizod Partnership in 2012. It is still supported by the partnership as well as a group of enthusiastic and trained volunteers. Dublin City Council and the Department of Rural and Community Affairs later funded a Garden Manager to develop this social enterprise, centred on supplying fresh vegetables, herbs and flowers.
Cherry Orchard Community Gardensare passionate about sustainable, healthy, locally grown food that is good for the neighbourhood and good for the planet. Their aim is to be sustainable with low energy inputs, low food miles and a low carbon footprint. Fresh seasonal produce is grown using traditional gardening techniques and no artificial chemicals. As part of their sustainability journey, they will be applying for Organic producer status with the Irish Organic Association.
The Community Garden provides an amenity for local residents and volunteers, including training and employment opportunities. SVP and groups such as the Ballyfermot-Chapelizod Partnership have been responding to ‘culinary illiteracy’ with the Partnership regularly hosting classes such as ‘Healthy Food Made Easy’. To further address cooking illiteracy, SVP and Cherry Orchard Community Garden are combining their resources to provide allotment land to a number of service users. The community garden is willing to show people how to plant and grow and also organise regular gardening classes.
Customers to the Thursday Markets, as well as Dublin Food Coop, Small Changes, SuperValu and other outlets who have Cherry Orchard Garden produce for sale, are supporting this local social enterprise, which has a modest traded income. I was pleased when I recently went to Small Changes Minimal Waste Food Store to find produce from Cherry Orchard Community Garden there. As a social enterprise all profits are re-invested back into our community garden.
Address and contact details:
Cherry Orchard Community Gardens11-41 Cherry Orchard Green, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10
Phone: 087 761 4972
Registered office 4 Drumfinn Park, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10. Eircode D10AY66
Company Registration No: 252413 Registered Charity No: 20033958