A BATCHLEY community group is launching a new gardening project with its first events aimed at getting children gardening.

Growing Batchley, led by Batchley Support Group, is for people of all ages and starts this month with two activities for children, including apple juicing and a sunflower growing competition at their office on Salters Lane on Thursday, May 22.

With funding from the People's Health Trust, the project plans to get more children gardening, to set-up an adult gardening group and to help maintain gardens for vulnerable people in Batchley.

On Thursday, May 22 Batchley Youth Club, which normally meet at Batchley Community Centre on Thursdays, will instead be meeting at 21 Salters Lane for an apple juicing session with Batchley Support Group.

The session aimed at children up to 13-years-old will be held from 5 to 6.30pm. For those who are 13-years-old and over, a session runs from 7 to 9.30pm.

Community gardener Alistair Waugh said: "We want to get children involved in keeping Batchley beautiful. They have plenty of energy and ideas and it'll be great to be out in the sunshine this summer doing fun healthy gardening.

"Schools across Batchley have been growing fresh fruit and vegetables for several years, we've planted fruit trees, the 'Batchley Bee Attractor' won second prize at Gardeners World and we've been on BBC Radio talking about allotments."

The project also kicks-off this week with a sunflower-growing competition at Batchley First School in partnership with the council's Britain in Bloom bid.

Batchley Support Group will also be setting-up a volunteer group of Batchley residents to brighten the local area and support older and disabled residents to maintain their gardens.

For more details of the Youth Club or to volunteer, call the group on 01527 457291 or email growingbatchley@outlook.com.