During half-term, the Young Commissioners had the pleasure of visiting Oru Space for an insightful tour of their building and a sneak peek at their new community garden, which is currently under construction. Our tour began with a walk through the vibrant and multifunctional Oru Space. We explored the well-designed offices, the cozy Trinco Lounge, the popular food spot, and the serene meditation area. The atmosphere was lively and welcoming, with numerous activities and services available to the community, making it an ideal place for both work and relaxation.
Following our building tour, we were taken to the site of the new community garden. Though still in the process of being built, the garden's potential was evident. The project lead explained their vision for the space, detailing the different sections that would feature a variety of flowers, herbs, and trees. Plans include dedicated areas for families, individuals looking to relax, and a biodiversity garden that embraces nature. Our visit aimed to gather our ideas on transforming this space, ensuring it reflects community spirit and meets the needs of all its users.
"It was amazing to see a strong sense of sustainability and community engagement, especially with the rooftop garden! It seems like it will be an accessible, enjoyable and valuable addition to the local area"
Next, we gathered in the meeting room to brainstorm and share our ideas on how to develop the garden. One of the key questions was how we wanted the garden to feel. We collectively came up with words like homely, tranquil, calm, peaceful, sustainable, and functioning. When discussing what we wanted to see in the garden, our ideas included community art, child-friendly areas, educational programs, plant competitions, weather-proofing features, spaces to cook veggies from Trinco, rental plots for personal gardening, performance areas for local artists, composting facilities, full accessibility, growing workshops, and fundraising events.
To conclude our visit, we attended one of Oru Space's free community meditation classes, which runs weekly. There are multiple free community events running weekly including community chair yoga and rhythym and rhyme so definitely head over to Oru space to check them out! This session was particularly beneficial as many of us are currently facing the stress of exam season. The meditation class provided a much-needed break, helping us to de-stress and regain focus. It highlighted the importance of taking time for self-care to maintain mental health, which also supports our academic performance.
"I found it amazing to see how much the building had changed since my last visit, and the meditation was very relaxing, especially in the middle of exams!"
A huge thanks to Lilly and Stevie at Oru Space for their hospitality and the opportunity to contribute to the development of their community garden. We are so excited to see how this project evolves and look forward to continuing our involvement in the future. See more of what we get up to on our instagram page.
