The Great North Tyneside Community Garden Crawl Returns

Some of the borough's best-kept green secrets opened their gates again last weekend as the Great Community Garden Crawl returned to North Tyneside on Saturday 20 June. Now in its third year, the free open-garden day invites residents to wander between volunteer-run community gardens, meet the people who tend them, and find out how to get involved.

Five Gardens, One Day

The event is organised by VODA's Grow & Eat project, and this year five community gardens took part across the borough. As VODA explains, the gardens included The Meadows Community Garden at Meadow Well, the Station Master's Community and Wildlife Garden in Whitley Bay, the Secret Garden Club at Whitley Bay Young People's Centre, Lovaine Community Garden in North Shields, and the West Moor Gardening Group.

Several of the gardens sit close to Metro stations, making it easy to hop between them without a car. The Station Master's garden in Whitley Bay is right next to the Metro, and Lovaine Community Garden is a short walk from North Shields, so a day of garden-hopping was well within reach for anyone along our stretch of the coast.

What Was On

Most gardens opened from 10am to 3pm, with the day built around family-friendly activities. Visitors could join garden tours, try pond-dipping, go on bug hunts, have a go at crafts, and simply enjoy these pockets of green tucked away in the middle of our neighbourhoods. The whole thing was free, and downloadable maps helped people plan a route between sites.

Why It Matters Locally

These gardens are run by volunteers and rely on local interest to keep going. Days like this are as much about recruiting new helpers and growers as they are about a pleasant afternoon out. If you have ever fancied getting your hands dirty closer to home, especially given the three-year wait for a North Tyneside allotment, a community garden is a friendly way in.

Best for: Missed the Crawl? The community gardens welcome volunteers all year round. Contact VODA's Grow & Eat project to find a growing space near you in North Tyneside.

It is one of the nicest fixtures in the local summer calendar, and worth keeping an eye out for when it comes round again next year.

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