Volunteers help turn Brockley green again

The area around Brockley Station was made green once more by local volunteers at a community planting event held last Sunday by Brockley Cross Action Group (BXAG).

The Brockley Cross Action Group plant trees by the station. Photo: Merel Offringa

The area around Brockley Station was made green once more by local volunteers at a community planting event held last Sunday by Brockley Cross Action Group (BXAG).

Brockley Common took on the atmosphere of a family allotment, with all the people digging, chatting and sipping their coffees.

The merry bunch of volunteers was made up of trustees, chairmen and locals with their children, who were already eyeing up the large pumpkins lying just off the site – with the promise that there would be some carving later that day.

In the morning there was an attempt to break the world record for the most people planting bulbs in one hour.

Early afternoon brought more planning and gardening, and two young cherry trees were planted to replace older bushes and trees which perished in the station’s rebuild.

Volunteer Jill Connell said: “I think we’re actually really lucky today! The weather is holding up OK, people are cheerful and luckily the plants don’t need as much work, as all we really need to do are to replace the plants that died last summer because of the heat and dryness.”

Even though the day was dreary, cold and wet, there were people on and off the site to pitch in.

With help from nearby Broca Café – in the form of coffee, tea and cakes – the families kept going.

“It’s going alright,” said Broca café owner Erin Essex. “It’s just too bad the weather is pretty horrible because otherwise I’m sure we would get more volunteers – people are so amazing here.”

“It’s so great to see a place here that is made with such a strong community, and that they get together to change their area by pure willpower and action.”

To learn more about Brockley’s local initiatives and events, visit http://www.brockley.com/bcag/

Broca Café, 4 Coulgate Street, Brockley, SE4 2RW. http://www.brocafoods.com

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