Thundersley
Trust Links Thundersley
At Thundersley we’ve developed a vibrant community garden that features a green roof gazebo, accessible paths, raised vegetable beds and so much more.
Members’ Growing Together day at Thundersley is on Fridays from 9:30am to 3:30pm. We have a potting shed, log cabin, composting toilet, wildlife pond, orchard area, and our gardens are fully accessible.
In 2017 we worked with partners to develop the garden from unused municipal land to create an inclusive multiuse community space. Our building was refurbished in 2022 thanks to the support of local companies and partners. We’re proud to provide a large, open-plan communal area with sofas, a training room and kitchen.
Green Champions
Wildlife is at the core of our Thundersley site: we won a Defra Green Champions Award in November 2019 for our solitary bee habitats and environmental work. Solitary bees are “messy” pollinators which play a crucial role in the environment. With the Green Roof Company, we designed bespoke solitary bee habitats which we installed next to our native and non-native wildflowers.
This has made Thundersley a haven for wildlife and an example of the positive impact we can all make for the environment. Without our solitary bees, there would be no therapeutic gardens – or tasty produce!
Community Shed
Our main building in Thundersley hosts the Community Shed, with workbenches, woodwork tools and other facilities. Members use recycled wood to make items for our gardens and for sale.
The Community Shed meets on a Wednesday morning and is run by volunteers.
Trust Links Thundersley
Kiln Road, Benfleet, SS7 1TF
How to find us
Public transport
Buses 1, 3, 27, 27a, 27x, 28, and 68 stop at a nearby bus stop that is a 5 minute walk away.
Parking
The Council car park that runs down the back of the site is open to our members. Members must input their registration with Trust Links to avoid parking ticket.
Other sites
Westcliff
Westcliff was our founding project site, and over the years we have transformed the one-acre former allotment from an overgrown dumping ground into a productive growing area for fruit and vegetables, Westcliff was our founding project site, and over the years we have transformed the one-acre former allotment from an overgrown dumping ground into a productive growing area for fruit and vegetables, a beautiful flower garden and more.
Read moreShoeburyness
Since opening in 2013, the Shoeburyness therapeutic gardens have been awarded several Green Flag Community Award for being a tranquil and mindful place for the community in Shoeburyness. Shoeburyness is the home of our Women’s Only Group and our award winning sensory labyrinth.
Read moreBasildon
Growing Together Basildon is our newest site which opened in 2023. This Beautiful site provides members with the chance to connect, benefit from horticultural activities, and access wellbeing support from the expert Trust Links team.
Read moreCressing Temple
The Trust Links Cressing Temple garden opened its doors to members in January 2022. Located in the beautiful Cressing Temple grounds, between Braintree and Witham, the large community garden space provides plenty of room for our members to enjoy the therapeutic benefits of gardening…
Read moreRochford
Our Rochford site features an environmentally-sustainable building, and is a multi-functioning learning centre for people coping with mental health problems, and physical and learning disabilities. Rochford is also the headquarters of REACH Recovery College, where members can enrol in creative workshops and classes designed to help people manage their mental health…
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