THE organiser of a Denton Holme community garden is hoping to extend the project across Carlisle. 

Colin May moved to the UK from Canada in 2017 and since his relocation has become a community champion, with his prize project coming in the form of the Denton Holme community garden. 

This garden, which is manned by volunteers, grows produce for Denton Street's Cornerstone Food Bank and also helps unite the local community.

Now Colin is campaigning for the creation of more community gardens like the one in Denton Holme across Carlisle and has told the News & Star about the benefits that the original project has had.

"People love coming down as it is a place to socialise, learn, and have a fun time and do something good for the food bank," he said.

"There is a lot of allotments which are too much to handle so having community gardens will help people work together to grow food for the community and share what is produced to each family.

"It doesn't all have to be food-based too. In Denton Holme on Sheffield Street we just helped with a project there to redo the garden, and we got funding to put trees in and make the area nicer for the people."

Colin also explained how he plans to bring his vision for a greener-thumbed Carlisle, which could include bringing disused local buildings to life.

He said: "We have just started planning this.

"I am working with Dennis Sutherland who runs Garden Life in Currock and we are having a meeting to make a plan to try and make this go around the city by maybe turning unused city property into gardens.

"It is something that is happening all over the country right now and is something we would like to bring into the Carlisle area - but we are just at the beginning of this project."