Community ActionCalmingUK18 Oct 20261 min read

A free garden gives Whickham neighbours a quiet place to pause

Just behind Whickham's high street, a garden restored by volunteers gives neighbours somewhere quiet to sit. Families visit, older residents have a calm place to pause, and autumn planting is drawing people through its gate.

Whickham Hermitage Garden reopened in 2006 after local resident Dave Peacock brought the derelict site back to life. Volunteers continue caring for it following his death in 2021.

The local community listing describes free entry and wheelchair-accessible paths, alongside a wildlife pond, seating and a children's playhouse. Those practical details make it useful for different generations sharing a visit.

AI illustration of Gilbert sitting beside a pond in a generic autumn community garden. — AI-generated illustration featuring AI Gilbert (Glenn Herriott); not a photograph of the reported event.

Its future needs attention. Trustee Charles Mears says the volunteers are ageing, with too few younger people joining. Without replacements, funds could cover paid maintenance for only two or three years before the garden returned to the council.

For now, residents such as Peter Tomlinson keep coming with their families, while volunteers tend the shrubs and trees: a small space offering a regular place to gather.