We are proud to share that Windmill Community Gardens Margate won GOLD at this year’s Wilder Kent Awards, we are honored with the recognition of the hard work by staff, volunteers and participants to help maintain a Wilder Kent. In our application we shared our work in creating natural habitats throughout both of our sites, our work in educating the future generations, partnering with local organisations for example Operation Turtle Dove to help conserve endangered species.
Here are just a few examples we provided in our application:
- We have an established bug hotel that gets maintained regularly during the children’s groups run in the gardens.
- We have several established wormeries on site and build temporary ones as part of our children’s groups as an educational opportunity. Most recently we ran a children’s session focused on the Julia Donaldson book ‘Superworm’ where children maintained our wormeries and learnt about the worm’s favourite food.
- We have established reptile refuges around our pond area on our community garden site and on our Market Garden site
- After a sighting locally of the super rare Turtle Dove we took part in Operation Turtle Dove, a national scheme to promote the conditions needed for this bird to thrive. Read more about it here.
- We ran a session during our under 5s group making bird feeders using pinecones and peanut butter. These were taken home by attendees and hung in gardens and public spaces amongst the community.
- We have a number of ponds between our two sites, supporting a variety of wildlife and insects, including frogs and newts. We have also worked this year (with the invaluable help of volunteers) to prune and clear around our small pond and create a large new pond in our Market Garden site
- Thriving large ponds on our Community Garden site, and had a survey done this year from a pond expert as to its health. We are hoping to build a pond dipping platform in the coming year to improve our access to it and enable children to interact with the wildlife.
- We run sessions for schools where teachers can bring classes in to learn, as well doing outreach at many local community events to inspire others. Find out more here
What are the Wilder Kent Awards?
The Wilder Kent Awards is a scheme set up to recognise and reward the work schools and community groups are doing in helping us create a #WilderKent. By taking positive actions to restore nature, they are helping to create a more climate-resilient county and provide a home for wildlife. Their action benefits us locally and helps tackle the global environmental threats we all face.
These awards are open to schools, colleges, universities, nurseries, community groups, businesses and villages, towns and cities across the county. They acknowledge the hard work and action taken to create a Wilder Kent whilst ensuring that people and wildlife co-exist for future generations.
The awards, presented by Kent Wildlife Trust, saw 90 organisations shortlisted, with 25,000+ individuals recorded as having taken action for nature. Their efforts resulted in a staggering 400,000+ people across the county receiving the nature benefits from the actions taken by the entrants. In total, almost 70 hectares were improved or restored for nature – that’s the size of 98 football pitches.
There was real diversity with the groups and organisations who took part, from businesses and community groups, to schools, nurseries, colleges and universities, as well as village, town and city councils. 22 groups received the highest accolade of gold, 25 silver and 31 bronze, with 10 awarded commendations for their efforts. They received their awards at a wonderful ceremony at Chapel House Estate on Saturday, 7th March, with a special appearance and keynote speech by Giles Clark, a passionate conservationist, television presenter, naturalist and powerful advocate for wildlife and the natural world.
