Quex Gardens is a treasured local site that is inclusive and accessible. It is a safe, beautiful place for the education and recreation of all, a place of purpose, both historic and current, with strong links to the local community.
Since 2021, the small but mighty Quex Garden team, as part of the Powell-Cotton Trust, have been offering meaningful, engaging and inclusive volunteer opportunities for adults with learning disabilities, mental health issues, and those who are socially isolated in our community. This is delivered under the umbrella of ‘The Sunshine Project’.
Between September 2023 and February 2026, the Powell-Cotton Trust received grant-funding to support further delivery of The Sunshine Project
Our community group volunteers are core to what we do in Quex Gardens and add huge value to our volunteer team. Regardless of age, ability, needs or background, they carry out garden tasks across the season, from leaf collecting, mulching, propagating and weeding.
Through the Association of Independent Museums (AIM) ‘Connecting Communities’ funding strand, part of the UK Government’s ‘Know Your Neighbourhood’ programme, we have been able to extend our garden offer to include craft and movement activities such as ceramics and yoga. Social therapeutic horticulture has been embedded thanks to training and guidance from Thrive and is now core to our Quex Garden offer, which supports health and wellbeing for people with disabilities and mental health issues, and addresses social isolation and loneliness.
The project has enabled improved accessibility to volunteering opportunities, forging stronger ties with local institutions, users and residents of care homes and day centres, SEND schools, Kent County Council Adult Services and other partners engaged in similar work, fostering a sense of unity and collaboration.
We have helped reduce the risk of loneliness by offering engaging programmes and a safe space to meet other people from all backgrounds, interests and abilities; this encourages increased levels of social connections, fostering a sense of belonging within the community.
On Tuesday 17 March, 2026, we celebrated The Sunshine Project through a special Film Screening Premier at local independent cinema, The Carlton, followed by an Awards Ceremony to acknowledge everyone who has been involved in the project over previous years.
This film showcases the value and impact The Sunshine Project makes to our community group volunteers, and allows viewers to learn more about the work that goes into looking after the 8 acres of Quex Gardens, and the people who bring it to life day in day out for everyone’s enjoyment and wellness.
A programme of led workshops as part of the grant helped bring different communities together to create collaborative interventions and installations that can be seen across the gardens and museum. Local ceramicist Julia Ellen Lancaster is one of the workshop leads.
I’m so thrilled to be the ‘Ceramicist in Residence’ at Quex Gardens. It’s a real opportunity to respond to the incredible inspiration that museums can offer. Working with our hands, making and creating is such a natural and human thing to do, something that many of us can be detached from in an age of technology.
