The main volunteer behind a Pinchbeck community garden says she’s looking to start another in the village after a church broke its silence on why it wasn’t going to be open to the public.
For two years Charlotte Kebbell organised the volunteers creating the garden, many of whom had been referred to the project by local mental health organisations.
Much of it was created using fund-raising and donations from businesses.
But last month the volunteers were left devastated when landowners Pinchbeck Baptist Church said they would not open it up to the public.
Church representatives initially declined to comment on the reasons when approached by The Voice last month.
But a statement from Pastor Sue and the leadership team of Pinchbeck Baptist Church was put on Facebook on Monday claiming its leaders hadn’t thought out the ‘health and safety implications’.
“Firstly we would like to thank Charlotte and the many volunteers, who over the past two years, have invested their passion, time, effort and energy into this project, and to all those of you who have contributed to it,” the statement said. “Pinchbeck Community Garden was, on our part, an ill thought through concept from the beginning.
“This became clearer in the latter part of 2024 when we realised that were not in a position to support a community garden due to the legal and safety implications (health and safety, public liability, risk assessment, access, our neighbours, private land etc).
“All donations of finance/equipment/vegetation etc that have been donated to the garden by the community have been spent on/used by Charlotte and her team solely for the garden.”
The statement continued that any money was used on the garden.
The church has offered to refund anyone who had donated but they have to have proof of the gift.
“We are truly sorry that this happened but we do not feel there is another way forward, unless the garden is used for church activities when everyone will be welcome.
“Should there ever by a new community space/garden, we as Pinchbeck Baptist Church will give a substantial financial donation towards it, when a new site and management team are in place.”
Charlotte described the statement as ‘a nice piece of fiction’.
“We had the health and safety plans in place and approved by someone qualified.
“There was legalities, but there was nothing insurmountable.
“Just before they said the garden wouldn’t be open we’d been accepted for a £20,000 grant to cover the legal costs, but they didn’t want to know.
“We’ve been working on this project for two years.
“I recently added up the time I’ve spent on it and if they paid me minimum wage it would amount to £5,000.
“That’s not including the driving and collecting donations I’ve done or anybody else’s time.”
Charlotte says she and her husband started attending the Baptist Church after being invited to speak about the project at a service.
She says she’s unsure about whether she’ll consider her religious journey.
Charlotte does, though, still want to create a community garden in Pinchbeck and is having conversations with the parish council about potential land where it could be based.
“It’s up to the community of Pinchbeck now if they want such a facility,” she continued.
