A new Wellness Walled Garden at the Edward Hain Centre (EHC) is open to anyone in St Ives — whether you’re looking for a peaceful place to relax, or you’re interested in joining the centre’s team of volunteer gardeners.
The Mayor, Mayoress, and members of the Edward Hain team take a seat in the new garden shelter
The garden has a long history, dating from the days when EHC was the Edward Hain Hospital, but it had been unused for many years and had become a mass of tangled greenery and debris. It was also unsafe and inaccessible. But EHC Manager Sharon Goldingay said: “Ever since we took over the building, we knew that this small area would lend itself to something different from the main garden, as it was a secluded space.
“We’d been thinking about creating a memorial garden, as the whole building is in memory of Captain Edward Hain, who died in the First World War, but we could see that as a wellness garden, it could be used not just as a quiet space but also for things like meditation classes and acoustic music.”
The project started to take shape just five months ago, when a £5,000 grant was offered to EHC by Locality, a nationwide network which provides training and resources for community organisations. Sharon said: “I realised that with £5,000, we could do a complete project, rather than use it for something like furniture. We put in an application to Locality for the Wellbeing Walled Garden in November, and they loved the idea.”
Lynne Isaacs, chair of the EHC trustees, cut the ribbon to the garden
The aim was for the garden to be transformed into a calm, welcoming place where wellbeing, connection and community could flourish — a place to sit and pause, enjoy a chat and a cup of tea, grow food, or take part in a variety of wellness activities.
In March, the Big Dig began. Staff and volunteers worked hard to clear the garden, after which Cormac arrived on site to lay new paths, a patio, seating areas and growing spaces. The organisation, which is part of Cornwall Council, also built and installed a shed.
Songs from Edward Hain Centre trustee Claire Sutcliffe and friends, and cakes served by Sarah O’Dwyer and Tish Berriman
Sharon said: “We could have spent some of the Locality money on plants, but we know there are quite a lot of people in St Ives who enjoy gardening, but don’t have a garden of their own, and we’d like to gather them together and ask for their ideas about what they’d like to happen here.”
The garden will still be a memorial — not just to Edward Hain, but also to Ron Tulley, a former Mayor of St Ives and an enthusiastic supporter of the project, who died late last year — just after the grant application had gone to Locality. A plaque in the garden’s shed reads: “This special place is dedicated to the memory of Ron Tulley, a Friend of the Edward Hain Centre and a True Gentleman”.
Chris Wallis, in charge of the barbecue, and plants on a sale table
The current town Mayor, Johnnie Wells, told all those who had gathered for the garden’s official opening: “This is a testament to what Ron achieved in the town. He was very good at getting stuff done, and it’s really fitting that he is remembered in this way.”
Lynne Isaacs, chair of the EHC trustees, who performed the ribbon-cutting ceremony, added: “Ron was a fantastic supporter of the whole Edward Hain Centre project, from when it was a pipe dream, so it is right and proper to make this mark for him here, as he made a mark on the project.”
She also thanked Johnnie and his wife Sarah for their support, along with EHC Community Hub officer Claire Jeffries, Officer Manager Kerrie Cox and Maintenance Manager Mark Wilkinson, as well as other staff and volunteers for everything they had done to make the idea of the Wellness Walled Garden a reality.
