Hillfields Community Garden: get involved!

From a simple idea to a thriving community hub, Nicola Deschamps reports on how Hillfields Community Garden has blossomed into a place where neighbours grow, cook and share food together. Volunteer, donate or book a place on the upcoming cooking course to help nurture connection through good food!

In 2020, local mums Sarah Rogers and Rebecca Mills came up with the idea of creating a community garden in Hillfields Park, East Bristol, so they applied to Bristol City Council for a licence to garden there. Hillfields Community Garden was founded as a charity in 2023. With food at its core, ​​​​residents began by building ​​​​three raised vegetable beds. As more volunteers joined, other projects took off, encouraging residents to connect, enjoy nature and learn new skills.  

Over time, the garden has been expanded by adding more raised beds, planting an orchard and a wildflower meadow, building bug houses and installing a composter and a water butt to provide organic feed and water for the plants. On Saturdays, volunteers are offered a complimentary lunch. 

Hillfields Community Garden has continued to evolve. Earlier this year, it applied to take over the management of Hillfields Community Hub. Now named Hillfields Park Community Centre, the charity has refurbished the building, which includes an ​​​​updated, fully equipped kitchen where Community Kitchen Lead, Misty Tunks, and her team of volunteers ​​​​run a community café every Thursday and a community lunch on Fridays. A supply of perishable items bought by the charity and donated by residents and businesses is stored in the community ‘fridge’, which operates on a ‘give and take’ principle to reduce food waste and help residents. 

The weekly lunch gives residents a chance to share a meal with their neighbours, bringing people together to enjoy good food and conversation. A pay-what-you-can approach means everyone can enjoy a nutritious meal at little or no cost. The café offers freshly prepared vegetarian meals, made with produce from the garden and food donated by local suppliers. Vegan and gluten-free options are also available. Residents can sit down for a hot meal or enjoy tea and homemade cake in the comfy foyer. The Community Centre has accessible parking and toilets, offers free Wi-Fi, books and magazines, and provides a welcoming space for residents from Hillfields and the surrounding area. 

The Community Centre hosts local events and workshops, using hire fees to expand available services and purchase items for the community’s benefit. Grants and donations are critical to the charity’s continued success and the support it offers residents. ​​​​Recently, Edible Bristol began supplying surplus produce from its Speedwell allotment, and local eateries have donated food. Whether grown or donated, it is used by the kitchen team for community lunches and meals at the café, with any spare shared with residents to avoid food waste. 

An upcoming event is a community-led cooking course. Misty, along with four residents, will host the course, sharing their favourite family recipes and dishes that honour their cultural heritage. The course will give participants the opportunity to cook and share a meal together, preparing healthy dishes on a budget. 

Moving forward, the charity aims to establish partnerships with ethical wholesalers and encourage more local businesses to donate. This support would allow the kitchen team to host more lunches and open the café more regularly.   

​​​​​For information about Hillfields Community Garden or to get involved, email engage@hillfieldscommunitygarden.co.uk, or to volunteer, visit the Hillfields Community Garden website.

Book a place on the cooking course at www.trybooking.com/uk/events/landing/92304.

Sign up to receive the charity newsletter or learn about rates to hire a space at the Community Centre. For information about activities, join the charity’s WhatsApp Group. Or visit Hillfields Park Community Centre, Thicket Avenue, Hillfields, Bristol, BS16 4EH.  

To stay updated on future events, job opportunities and news, don’t forget to sign up for the Bristol Good Food Update at bristolgoodfood.org/newsletter.   

Nicola Deschamps is a registered nutritionist, author and editor: targeteditorial.co.uk. 

​​​Photos by Misty Tunks.