Volunteers with learning disabilities and their families have expressed their profound disappointment over the impending closure of a community garden center in west London.
A petition with over 4,500 signatures has been delivered to Hillingdon Council, urging them to keep the Rural Activities Garden Centre (RAGC) located in Colham operational.
According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, a number of adults with learning disabilities contribute to the upkeep of the garden center, with some having attended for decades, relying on it as an essential component of their daily lives.
Hillingdon Council has stated that the garden center incurs an annual deficit of £137,000, which is currently being covered by local taxpayers. They have indicated that volunteers will be provided with alternative “learning and developmental opportunities.”
Terry, a long-time volunteer at the center, shared that prior to joining, he had become largely housebound. He recounted, “My mother suffered from dementia, and I was her caregiver. After her passing, I was advised to come here, and it’s now the sole place I frequent. If this center closes, I’ll find myself doing nothing again, which saddens me.”
Wayne, who has volunteered at the RAGC for more than 30 years, expressed his affection for both his work and his colleagues. His father, Stuart, emphasized that the center provides a vital sense of purpose for many individuals. “Without it, countless volunteers would be left alone at home,” he remarked. “All of these individuals will be heartbroken. This place is essential for what it offers both to people and to the community. We need it.”
Hillingdon Council has committed to continuing support for volunteers by providing horticultural placements in public gardens and areas around the borough’s Civic Centre in Uxbridge. The council asserts that this transition will offer “enriched learning and developmental opportunities” and a “broader array of activities than they currently have at the garden center.”
A report regarding the future of the Rural Activities Garden Centre is scheduled for consideration by the council’s Cabinet on June 26.
In response, Hillingdon Council stated, “We are dedicated to ensuring that all volunteers with assessed social care needs receive enhanced learning and developmental opportunities. Regrettably, the RAGC’s retail operations are not financially sustainable, and we cannot ask residents to support a garden center that is losing money.”
