A "cherished" garden in East London which suddenly closed last winter has reopened its doors for two days a week following a funding crisis last year.

Hidden gem St Mary's Secret Garden, which has been nestled in south Hackney for more than three decades, made the shock announcement in December 2024 that it was likely to permanently shut as the charity had been forced to declare insolvency.

But following a steady "grassroots" effort over recent months, the garden has found a way to gradually reopen two days of the week thanks to the stewardship of dedicated volunteers who "started from scratch" in the wake of the closure. Meanwhile, Hackney City Farm , operating out of nearby Haggerston Park, stepped in and shared a business plan with the Town Hall , with the aim of ensuring the

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