Author: Steven Westgarth

Hello Pansy Patchers! It has definitely been a long dark winter! Thank you for keeping in touch on our social media platforms. We know many of you are raring to get back to the PiNC centre and we can’t wait to welcome you back to the garden!

We understand how difficult the past few months have been for many, with the lack of light and the cold weather, along with being isolated from our loved ones. We are putting plans in place now so the centre and the garden can get back up and running as soon as we are allowed by our government.

I know from personal experience, having suffered with anxiety and being a seasonal sufferer of SAD, how challenging winter can be and how healing and relaxing it is to work outdoors. Gardening has saved my mental bacon on many an occasion!

We want to assure you that we will be open again as soon as we can. In the meantime, if you have a small area outdoors at home, please try to make the most of it now things are getting a bit more spring like. If you have a park, get out for a walk, or if you are lucky enough to live by water, you could even try a wild swim (make sure to swim safely and with other people!).

If you would like to get your hands dirty, please get in touch and we can supply you with seeds, soil and pots to start growing things from home. You can nurture your own green babies and either plant them out in your garden or pots at home, or bring them to the PP once we open and help us plant our MANY new planters! If you can’t come to the Patch, we can help bring an MPP (Mini Pansy Patch) to you!

Feel free to get in touch at stevie@carlislelgbtq@gmail.com if you would like to start growing, or if you need help and support over the lockdown.

Be kind, stay positive and keep growing! xxx

Hello Pansypatchers!

Thanks to or brilliant friends and volunteers for all the help today bringing more fabulous colour to the patch!

We are happy to say the plants are all thriving and are growing into a jungle since we planted them just a few months ago.

We painted the wall a wonderful blue, added a CD cloud and started building our wonky rainbow.

Queen Johnny god a few more jewels on her crown and Ophelia Bush was given a gorgeous new headband!

We painted away until the sun went in then came in to have cream cakes and plan more PRIDE events!…watch this space!

Come along next Thursday and say hello! Its a friendly bunch of all ages at the moment, come and paint, plant so just drink tea!

Today we started to paint our FABULOUS drag-queen wall planters! These ladies will end up adorning the walls of the Pansy Patch, and will have beautiful botanical hairdos!

This is the queen of the patch, in progress…she just needs a lot more glitter, her make up finished and her jewellery on! Come along and help us next week!

We have three more to paint and plant and would love your ideas on designs and names, message our facebook page with your inspirations!

Its week 2 of the Pansy Patch Project! We had some great volunteers joined us to plant up a huge planter for the back of the centre!

Lavender, Daisies and Pelargoniums we planted up and decorated with fabulous flamingos & sparrows!

We also gave the back walls of the centre and quick lick of paint to spruce up the space.

Triple chocolate cookies and cups of tea kept us going all afternoon!

We started the new gardening project here at the LGBT+ centre a few weeks ago. Thank you to the volunteers who came along to help us fill all the wonderful planters at the front of the centre.

We spent the afternoon flexing our muscles and filling our planters with soil kindly donated by West Coast Group, www.west-coast-group.co.uk.

Volunteers also planted lots of shade loving plants to brighten up Victoria Place, including Hostas, Anemone, Astilbe, Geum, Geranium and Acers, as well as Honeysuckle and Jasmine for some lovely fragrance!

We also enjoyed the sunshine and plenty of tea, squash, cake and chat!