The municipality of Westerveld wants to invest in the well-being and health of residents of Wilhelminaoord and Frederiksoord. For this purpose, the municipality will receive more than 600,000 euros from the so-called Interreg fund of the European Union.
In Frederiksoord, the famous gardens of the former horticultural school play an important role in the municipality’s plan. De Proef, owner of the garden, receives part of the money. Joshua Kelly of De Proef says that the organization wants to contribute to the quality of life in the village with two projects.
“First, we are setting aside money to realize our desire to become a botanical garden. We are buying tools, making money available for courses and creating more space for volunteers to work in the gardens,” says Kelly.
De Proef also wants to grow in the culinary field. The organization is investing in, among other things, the vegetable garden and the tasting room and will offer courses.
In Wilhelminaoord, the municipality is developing a welfare program in which, according to it, ‘community power is the driving force’. In practice, this means that volunteers and professionals work together to ensure the health of residents.
They also work on the further development of the village heart. These plans still need to be further developed.
Frederiksoord and Wilhelminaoord, together with the German municipalities of Emsburen and Vrees and the Esmland district, participate in the Interreg project Caring Community. The German villages also receive a contribution from the project.
