The Green Group
Working with Disability Adults in the community, improving their health and the environment.
What is the Green Group?
We do practical horticultural and environmental work in the local area. Our aim is to help people improve their health and fitness, by getting involved with their local environment. Green Gym also offers you the chance to meet new people, and learn new skills such as food-growing.We have strong links with the local community, and work at a range of sites. We maintain vegetable gardens at Portglenone Monastery and gardening activities at Gortgole Fold in Portglenone, and we do conservation activities in Portglenone Forest.
Volunteering Opportunities
Working outdoors
We need volunteers to help with our practical sessions. As well as doing horticultural and conservation work, you could be gaining skills in supervising and supporting other volunteers. Many of our team members have learning difficulties or disabilities, and the Green Gym has a strong history of helping them to be physically and socially active.We also have practical opportunities for those who just want to join in, and not necessarily take on a supervisory role. Please contact us to find a day and task that suits you. If you want to get active outdoors, and are interested in food-growing and/or conservation, then come along and help at one of our regular practical sessions on Mondays and Tuesdays. There are also occasional sessions on other days. Please call PEG (028 2582 0150) in advance for information on locations, times and transport.For other volunteering opportunities contact Cookstown to Magherafelt Volunteer CentreClick here for more information on Mencap Northern Ireland
The Make a Change Programme funded by DARD Rural Challenge has got under way on September 11th 2013. The aim of the programme is to offer children of school leaving age with learning difficulties awareness raising workshops on a range of activities that they can become involved in within their local communities.Space to Grow – Gortgole Fold Garden Open
Tenants of Gortgole Fold invited the Deputy Mayor of Ballymena, Cllr Beth Adger, to officially complete their new community garden by planting the final tree alongside Fold’s Chief Executive, John McLean and Becky Ledger of the Green Gym.
The project has seen the gardens at Gortgole Fold transformed by the Portglenone Green Gym, the Men’s Shed and other members of the community who came together to create this wonderful garden. The garden has trees, plants and flowers to encourage wildlife, a variety of new paths have been created around the scheme grounds together with raised beds which are intended to provide better access for all to enjoy our gardens.
Mr McLean, Fold’s Chief Executive commented, ‘The improvement made to the grounds around the scheme, we hope, will not only benefit the tenants of Gortgole Fold but we would encourage the community of Portglenone to come and visit and help tend to these beautiful new gardens and most importantly enjoy the gardens. Thanks must go out to everyone who has helped in their creation and the Public Health Authority who kindly funded these works through their Health Improvement Small Grant’s Scheme’.
Becky from the Green Gym explained, ‘This project created opportunities for people to enjoy the health benefits of gardening and nature. The garden’s features have been designed to maximise accessibility, to add opportunities for recreation, and to enhance wildlife value. We’re proud to be doing this here in Portglenone, and to be creating what we hope will be a lasting partnership between Portglenone Green Gym and Gortgole Fold tenants’.
Deputy Mayor of Ballymena, Cllr Beth Adger, officially complete the new community garden by planting the final tree alongside Fold’s Chief Executive, John McLean and Becky Ledger of the Green Gym.
Portglenone Green Gym would very much appreciate donations from anyone splitting plants or removing plants from their gardens.
We can give them a new home !!! Contact Nora 028 25820150
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