Corserv Care colleagues help bring new yurt project to life

A group of dedicated volunteers recently came together to support Growing Links Community Garden in Penzance to replace their much-loved yurt, after it was destroyed by Storm Gorreti last winter.

Growing Links is a community-focused organisation working to establish a local, resilient, accessible and sustainable food system in west Cornwall. Through its gardens, growing spaces and community projects, the charity helps people connect with nature, learn about food production, improve health and wellbeing, and access nutritious, sustainably grown food. Their work creates social value by bringing people together, building skills and confidence, and strengthening community resilience.

While insurance funding enabled Growing Links to purchase a replacement yurt, the wooden frame required treatment and painting before it could be assembled and ready for use. With autumn fast approaching, volunteers stepped forward to help ensure the new yurt would provide a welcoming sheltered space for visitors, volunteers and community groups once again.

Among those lending their time and energy was Mireille Trevaskis and Katie Stratton Darling from The Bungalow Respite Centre, who joined volunteers for a successful Yurt Painting Party. Thanks to the warm weather and a helpful breeze, the team managed to undercoat and top coat the vast majority of the wooden structure in a single day.

Lynne Dyer, Managing Director of Growing Links, expressed her gratitude for the fantastic effort, highlighting just how much had been achieved through the volunteers' hard work.

Mireille and Katie were joined by volunteers from a range of local organisations and community groups, including: LiveWest, A Band of Brothers, Nature Connects and the Mayor of Penzance, Andy Law.

The day demonstrated the power of community collaboration, with individuals from across Cornwall coming together to support a valuable local resource. Once completed, the new yurt will provide an important sheltered space that supports Growing Links' ongoing work to bring people together, promote wellbeing, deliver food education and improve access to sustainable food.

A huge thank you to Mireille and Katie, and everyone involved for giving their time, energy and enthusiasm to help Growing Links prepare for the months ahead!