I met Zabi one very cold and dreary Monday morning in October last year; he was waiting for me by the Stoke Road allotments in Slough sporting the smile and gentle demeanour I would get to know so well throughout our collaboration.

‘I run this plot on a voluntary basis,’ he said with humble eyes, ‘for the sole benefit of the refugees who come to Slough Refugee Support with nothing in their pockets, sometimes not even clothes to wear. Many left their war torn countries in a desperate rush, without even having the time to collect their personal belongings or to say a proper goodbye to their families and friends.'

This poignant statement, delivered by Zabi in an emotional and empathic tone of voice, made me think a lot, and made me realise even more how very lucky we are to have a roof over our heads, food on the table, and a network of friends and family to support us. We often take these things for granted, yet these privileges can be taken away in a heartbeat by war and social injustice.

He took me to the small plot which he and the volunteers at the centre manage for the benefit of individuals and families, growing vegetables often connected to the refugees’ cultural heritage. The centre is the first port of contact in the UK for asylum seekers from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Ukraine, and many other countries, and the allotment has been a much appreciated feature by all.

‘Cultivating the land is something many of these people are very familiar with and skilled at,’ said Zabi, ‘and coming here, even if just for few hours a week, helps to take the stress and anxiety away, and to connect them once again with the land and nature – an aspect of life they often miss and relinquish.

‘I would like to do more for them,’ he added, ‘however some of the features we would love to have are quite expensive. We would love, for example, to be able to have a shelter and a firepit area which our volunteers can use with their families to socialise, and some features such as a water butt to collect water, or a pond where wildlife can seek refuge too. I love animals and being surrounded by nature brings me joy and happiness; we even have resident frogs and hedgehogs, it’s so exciting seeing wildlife around us.'

I looked at the torn polytunnel, the sparse plants, the very few tools Zabi had been able to gather from donations or even personal funds; his eyes, quiet and composed, were telling me a story of a man with a good heart, who really wanted to make a difference but didn’t have the means to do as much as he would have loved to.

A frog jumped out of the tiny washing up bowl pond he had built years before in an attempt to provide wildlife with some shelter and water; a wren sang his song in its usual, deafening manner, so strikingly juxtaposed to the tiny and delicate frame, and a robin hopped around the dry herbs and overgrown bramble, looking for some juicy insect to eat.

I really wanted to support Zabi and everything he was trying to do in the community. I knew that this was a really great fit to be part of our Nextdoor Nature project funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The months passed, winter came and went and, with the advent of spring, Zabi also sprung to action. He was determined to change the allotment space, and finally create that welcoming place he had dreamt for such a long time. His wishlist included a shelter, a new wildlife pond, more plants, a water butt, a barbecue area, and table and chairs so that people could sit, chat, and cook around the firepit.

In July this year I met Zabi once again, by those very same allotment gates. He wanted to show me the progress made and showcase the achievements of the community. The smile and gentle approach had not changed, however the transformation in the allotment space was incredible and jaw dropping; ‘To save money and maximise budget,' he said, 'I decided to embark on the construction of the shelter myself. Instead of my evening book read, I was watching videos on how to build sheds, I also took inspiration from neighbouring plots, and the allotment community and SRS volunteers were fabulous in giving me advice and guidance.'

'I believe in reclaiming and recycling, and we were fortunate enough to be able to source some of the materials from reclamation yards and car boots; we even found a discarded toy car and baby bath which we are planning to use as planters!

'The volunteers have been amazing and have participated with enthusiasm in the build of their new and improved space. I had never built anything this scale before, and had to spruce up my skills and learn how to use a drill and saw, but I am very happy with the overall result so far, and proud of what we have achieved thanks to the Nextdoor Nature project.

'We have been planting several vegetable varieties and recently installed a pond and pond plants. We have also been able to hold a community barbecue with drinks and refreshments, which brought much joy to everyone’.

The pictures I took speak for themselves; what was once a place in need of TLC and support is now a thriving space offering a tranquil corner for both people and wildlife, and offering a variety of fresh produce such as courgettes, pumpkins, tomatoes, but also teeming with wild flowers and plants.

I left the allotment with the certainty that this project would leave a meaningful, lasting legacy, and that the improvements provided would support an expanding community of growers and gardeners with a keen eye for all things nature.

Hear more from Zabi in this short video