Slough Borough Council, in partnership with the West Cippenham Tenants and Residents Association (WCTRA) have been awarded a grant to help transform a disused area of ground beside the Cippenham library.

The £15,000 grant will see the area transformed into a space suitable for relaxation and small-scale gardening. Upon completion, the new site will provide a wheelchair-accessible path, weather benches, raised beds for flowers and cover provided by several trees.

Since the site is intended to be a haven for wellbeing, the emphasis will be to grow a wide range of plants in order to have vibrant colours for as much of the year as possible. A minimum of two curved benches will be installed, and trees shall be planted to provide shade and cover and the opportunity for further organic produce.

A project with Slough social care will also provide an opportunity for people with mental health, learning and physical disabilities to maintain and tend to the site and enjoy the therapeutic benefits of gardening.

Cllr Rob Anderson, cabinet member for environment and leisure said “We are so happy to have won this grant which will provide parents and carers somewhere safe and quiet for them to wait prior to collecting their children from the village school next door.

“As the library is in the very centre of the village, this provides the perfect place for elderly people who are visiting the shops or library to relax and chat with neighbours and friends.”