AN ILMINSTER group has launched a new garden in the town to help teach youngsters key outdoor skills.

The 1st Ilminster Cub Scout group opened its new allotment space with cries of ‘let it grow’ last week.

All the tools and materials used to turn the piece of land into a usable asset were donated by the community.

The land itself was lent to the cubs by the Ile Youth and Community Centre in Frog Lane, which is also the scouting group’s headquarters.

Assistant cub leader Joshua Windsor got the plot into shape with a little help from his friends.

He said: “At the beginning of January, I thought it would be a great idea to teach the cubs the new gardening badge, to understand and appreciate nature and how it grows.

“Therefore I suggested that having our own area to grow our local produced crops would be a great way to get the cubs involved.”

At the launch event last Friday, Joshua thanked the town businesses.

Angie Blackwell at Cottage Flowers donated gardening equipment and top soil and Ilminster Home Hardware gave seeds and a watering can.

Donations of wooden flowers and a scarecrow for decoration, and seeds and a compost bin came from the public.

Joshua added: “One last massive thank you to my grandad, John Stacey, and brother, for helping me with the development and construction of the project site.

“Without such a willing and kind community this cub scout garden would not of got as far.”