Pictured: Resident Vanessa Lynch (left) and Sarah McInerniy from Whitefriars Housing

A community garden project to help people grow their own fruit and vegetables has dug to victory, winning two local awards.

The Growing Paradise initiative claimed the top spot in the Community Cohesion Awards 2011, run by the Equalities and Community Cohesion Theme Group of the Coventry Partnership together with Coventry Ethnic Minorities Action Partnership (CEMAP), and also gained a special commendation compact award from Voluntary Action Coventry. 

The project, which involves residents at Paradise House, in Eden Street, beat off 30 other applications to win the Cohesion's Voluntary and Community (Large) category. 

The project, funded by retailer Marks and Spencers, was launched in July 2010, by Groundwork West Midlands and has been part-funded and supported by Whitefriars Housing, Midland Heart, Orbit Heart of England and St Barnabas Church.

Vanessa Lynch, who lives in the Paradise area, said: "It's been a really nice way of getting out into the garden and meeting new people. I think it's great the children are learning how to grow their own vegetables at a young age."

Ravinder Kaur, project manager from Whitefriars, said: "The Growing Paradise project has been a great opportunity to bring residents of all ages together with a real community focus, and we are delighted that the judges in these awards recognised that achievement.

"Paradise House is home to people from a diverse range of cultures, and residents have shared recipes from different countries to learn how to use produce in different ways, as well as learning how to grow different types of food in an organic way." 

As well as working together on the communal allotment, many residents have set up mini allotments on their window sills to grow flowers, herbs and salad.

The Growing Paradise project has been funded thanks to a £26,000 grant from Marks & Spencer and £5,000 contributed by Whitefriars. The money has been used to create the communal allotment in the garden area as well provide equipment to help the residents get into gardening.

For more information on the Growing Paradise project and to find out ways you can get involved please contact Ravinder Kaur at Whitefriars Housing Group on 024 7625 2497.