Fundraising for Accessible Access

Our team, lead by Victoria Barrett and Brendan Murphy, have designed an
accessible and vibrant garden for all to enjoy.

Our local community garden, described as Royal Oak’s ‘Best Kept Secret’, is embarking on an ambitious redevelopment this year and we’re calling on the local community to get behind our fundraising efforts.

Dig It! Royal Oak Organic Garden was originally established in 1982 and its 1600m² hectare site provides a welcoming and leafy haven for local garden lovers, schools and community groups. It offers free gardening plots and one-on-one support for people who are keen to build their knowledge and skills. The team also runs free workshops on sustainability, organics, health and wellbeing.

Garden Supervisor, Victoria Barrett, says the funds will give the gardens a much-needed accessibility overhaul, creating an environment where everyone can participate in the range of activities on offer.

“We firmly believe that all people should have the chance to get their hands stuck into the soil. The outdoor meeting room and adjacent community plots currently don’t meet the needs of our volunteers and visitors. Our vision is to create a site that meets the access needs of all people, including the elderly, kids and people with a mobility impairment,” she says.  

The restructure (designed by Victoria and Brendan Murphy) will see the garden layout modified with wide, flat pathways and raised beds to offer better accessibility for all garden visitors.

The Dig It! team would like to acknowledge the generous support of the project to date from the Sir John Logan Campbell Residuary Estate and the Maungakiekie-Tamaki Local Board.

In addition to grant funding, there are a limited number of sponsorship opportunities for interested businesses and organisations. The team has also set up a Givealittle page to raise the remaining funds and are seeking $15,000 in total from people are keen to support this vibrant and diverse community resource.

Victoria is excited about the possibilities for the future of the gardens.

“We are thrilled with the response we’ve had to the plans, and we’ve been flooded with in-kind offers of support from contractors. We are also grateful to our pool of volunteers who are keen to add their muscle and dig in to support this! With the support of the wider public we think this redevelopment will make a lasting difference to our community,” she says.

You can make a donation by heading to www.GiveaLittle.co.nz/cause/DigIt