A SECRET garden in Dursley is starting to take shape –but needs more helping hands to make the community space as special as possible.

Sustainability group Transition Cam and Dursley with several partners has taken the first steps to transform a barren piece of wasteland behind the Chantry Centre on Long Street into a beautiful social area where plants and vegetables can be grown.

Already scores of organisations including Dursley Scouts, World Jungle and Dursley Lions have helped clear the 8,000sqm of overgrown land, with ideas to improve so far including raised beds, horizontal growing, a cob oven and an outdoor seating area.

But to help it take that next step, the group is holding an open day on Saturday, June 7 from 9am until 1pm.

There is also going to be a regular weekly volunteering session on Wednesdays, from 9am until 12noon where each week a different garden project will be looked at, from weeding and planting to building and installing.

Other projects taking place include vertical planting, creating furniture and staircases out of palettes, installing rainwater capture systems, interactive water features, no dig beds, garden structures, willow weaving, wild flower sowing, composting and growing.

Transition Cam and Dursley spokeswoman, Rachel Savage, is keen to see as many people getting involved as possible.

“Come along to share your skills and knowledge, or to learn new skills with a fun group of hands-on, practical people. We'd love to see you,” she said.

“The garden is being managed according to permaculture principles so there'll be lots of healthy conversation and ideas to take home to your own plot.”

Permaculture is generally the idea of ecological design and construction that develops sustainable and self-maintained agricultural systems.

As well as volunteers the group is looking for donations of gardening tools and materials to help with the work, including everything from spades to wheelbarrows, paint to wood as well as compost, seeds and everything in between.

On the back of the open day, a introductory workshop into permaculture is taking place at the Chantry Centre on Sunday, June 8 from 1pm to 4pm, costing £4.

Full details are available at www.transitioncamdursley.org.uk and if you would like to get in touch, email: transitioncamanddursley@gmail.com