Final Year Environmental Social Sciences student Isabella Sabin-Dawson joined Dr Philip Pothan (Director of Engagement) and Caroline Van Eldik (VP Student Engagement) to speak live on air about the Community Oasis Garden and the Cost of Living Crisis.
Three representatives from the University took to BBC Kent to discuss what the University is doing to help students during the cost of living crisis. During this interview, stage 3 Environmental Social Sciences student Isabella Sabin-Dawson spoke about what the garden is doing for students, staff, and community members alike. She spoke about the skills she has developed during this time, as well as the relief it brings during unprecedented times.
If you’re a student at Kent, you’ve probably heard of the Kent Community Oasis Garden. If you haven’t, the garden is a community project open to staff, students, and members of the community. The collaboration between the University and East Kent Mind aims to provide a space for people to socialise, enhance their gardening skills, as well as being beneficial for mental and physical wellbeing.
“The Oasis Garden is great resource that we have access to, and it just provides that extra bit of reassurance. So if we are struggling to make ends meet, then we have that resource that we can have access to.” Isabella Sabin-Dawson
‘I hope to take the skills and experiences I have learnt there into my life post-university. I hadn’t had that much gardening experience before and now I know how to grow my own food, and having that self-sustaining aspect in my life is very empowering.’ Isabella told the show.
You can listen to the interview from 1:45:10 here.