Grow Back Greener Fund 2021

Connecting to Nature

Zoological Society of London, working with Camden and Islington Public Health, Camden Centre for Learning, City of Westminster College and Unity Works, have been awarded £49,914 to create a newly accessible green space in Camden. The new community garden will be co-designed and co-created with local residents and school children, focusing on working with families and young people on low incomes and with learning disabilities.

Nursery for the Neighbourhood

Kentish Town City Farm,working with local community partners, received £40,000 to open up spaces within the farm that were inaccessible. 

The project included significant physical improvements to green spaces within and beyond farm, including a new rainwater management system, tree planting and shelters to provide shade and a programme of engagement activities. The project provided traineeships in permaculture to 25 local people. 
 
"I have found myself growing in confidence through the traineeship and have enjoyed learning about the permaculture design process and principles. I like the fact that the facilitators have trusted the students with responsibility to design interesting spaces. I have found it rewarding that we have reached out to the wider community. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time this year on the course and it is genuinely one of the best things I have done all year."

Rob 

Hilgrove Community Garden

London Borough of Camden, working with Hilgrove Estate Tenant and Resident Association and TCV, received £40,000 to open up a previously inaccessible green space at the Hilgrove Estate in Swiss Cottage. 

The project created two new community orchard gardens, planted with local residents, a community garden for food growing, improved access, natural play areas. It has also added seating and planting to create a "reflection garden" as a peaceful place to unwind.

The response to the orchard on the green space near Freeling House has been a really positive one amongst the residents living nearby. The community came together to plant the trees and has come together to continue looking after them. In addition to the orchard, much of the grass in this area has been left long and an interesting path has been cut through it by the Grounds Maintenance team; this has created a very interesting area for residents to look at and interact with and the amount of wildlife in this area has increased. It is an area enjoyed by all ages and with guidance they are able to learn about how fruit is produced and take care of where they live. It will entail a lot of work to maintain and make sure that the trees survive the first difficult three years and hopefully the residents will continue to care about the orchard and continue to water it during the spring and summer months. - Anna
 

Brandon Centre Mindfulness  Garden Project                           

The Brandon Centre, working with Hands on London, received £10,000 for a total makeover of its garden area in Kentish Town. 

The project was delivered collaboratively with young service users and corporate volunteers to develop a beautiful, mindful space for people to access nature. The new garden will now be used as a site for a social prescribing project with vulnerable young people. 

"It's been brilliant working at Brandon Centre in the garden supported by Hands on London and the Brandon Centre team. Such a great volunteering team day and looking forward to coming back and helping in the future"

Corporate volunteer

Western Road Urban Garden

Southall Community Alliance, in partnership with London Borough of Ealing, A Rocha and Southall Transition, received £28,900 to transform a derelict site in Southall into a community green space. 

The project has created a multipurpose community garden for food, horticulture, leisure and community interaction, improving over 2000m2 of green space. 95% of participants that helped to create the garden were from Black, Asian and mionrity ethnic communities and Southall Community Alliance has built long-term partnerships with other local organisations to help maintain the garden.

"Clearing up this site to make it usable for the community is a great idea and can link with other allotments or food growing places locally."

Mani 

Greening, Growing and Rewilding

Roots4Life, 

Roots4Life, working with Shooter’s Hill College, Halley Academy and CH&CO, received £42,312 to enhance their recently established site in New Eltham. 

The project included a wild pond, a meadowland maze, new food growing areas, a sensory garden, wetland area and a rainwater harvesting system which can retain up 2000 litres of rainwater. Roots4Life held a series of weekly events, communtiy meals and volunteering days with schoolchildren, low-income families and people on probation, engaging  with over 4000 people from across Greenwich and beyond.

This is the second time E-survey has done a corporate volunteering day at Roots4Life and it is fantastic to see the progress on the site. We were delighted to plant over 800 daffodil, allium and tulip bulbs in the sensory garden. It is great to see the progress with the new rainwater harvesting construction, new compost bins and I was delighted one of my surveyor team was able to put on his body suit waders and survey the Roots4Life pond.” Simon Ross, E-serve(Corporate volunteering day)

Keeping Cities Wild

Dalston Eastern Curve Garden, working with local partners including City and Hackney MIND and Holy Trinity Primary School, has been awarded £44,862 to extend their existing community garden. The project will transform underused concreted areas into green productive spaces including a kitchen garden, community greenhouse and new areas of woodland.

Growing Roots in the Community

Mountford Growing Community, received £31,861 to create five new green spaces across the Mountford Estate in Dalston. 

The project has created five new green spaces and revitalised other existing spaces on the estate, improving over 2000m2 of green space. The project was delivered through a series of after school and holiday clubs with older and younger residents delivered by horticultural professionals from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, to reflect the community within which the project took place

"My son has been going to the club. He his enjoying it. Instead of him just watching TV or being on his phone, he is enjoying it. He has brought home quite a few sunflowers. I have also been seeing the other children who are enjoying it very much and smiling and having fun."

Cecilia

Community Green Space

The Boiler House Community Space has been awarded £5,000 to further develop its plans for a new garden at the Community Centre in Stoke Newington. The project will improve the quantity, quality and accessibility of green space for local residents.

Harmony Gardens Renovation and Outreach Project

Harmony Gardens, working with Edible London, received £15,404 to regenerate the site in Tottenham. The project has revived a derelict part of the site to create a pond, new planting and a children’s garden, as well as holding weekly training workshops with local volunteers and young families.

"Harmony Gardens has been a virtual life saver for me - with an always friendly and welcoming team when I visit. The space itself is calming and big enough to allow me to breathe. Everyone comes with no expectation - we laugh, we chat, we learn and eventually leave with a lot more knowledge that we thought. Ruth's wealth of knowledge is amazing and the fact that she encourage thinking outside of the box creativity is fantastic to be around."

Sandra

Westbury Banks Enhancement

Grow N22, working with Noel Park Big Local and GoodGym Haringey has been awarded £13,400 to enhance Westbury Banks Nature Reserve in Noel Park. The project will make the site more accessible and increase opening hours, allowing people to develop new skills and connect with nature on their doorstep.

Chandos Housing Estate Community Garden

Flash Musicals,received £20,000 to help transform the land around its community arts centre in Edgware into a community garden. 

 The garden is being used by residents of Chandos Housing Estate, and includes an outdoor classroom, a nature trail and new growing spaces. The outdoor classroom is already being used to run growing and cooking sessions with young people. 

"the fact that the raised beds allow people in wheelchairs to participate has been well thought out and will be appreciated by all'

Stephen Symmonds, a trustee of Flash Musical 

Hayes Green Refuge

St Anselm Church, Hayes, has been awarded £5,000 to further develop their plans for a new green space on the high street of Hayes Town. The project will provide a refuge for local residents and refugees, in a dense urban environment lacking open space.

Tollyrise Happiness Garden

Hornsey Lane Estate Community Association, working with St Mary’s Church Hornsey Rise and Octopus Community Network, has been awarded £34,262 to bring a closed church garden into public and community use. The project will work with local people to create a “garden for the gardenless” in which to relax, rest and enjoy becoming active gardeners.

Kennington’s Green Escape

Hyde Foundation, working with Kennington Park Estate and other local partners, received £49,698 to improve green spaces across Kennington Park Estate. 

The project worked with the community to improve four unused and derelict spaces across the estate, and provided training and employment for residents and weekly gardening sessions with a primary school . The project has removed tarmac to add more green space, including an orchard, planters, seating and wildflower planting. The project has improved over 3000m2 of green space and involved over 1500 local people

“S has always brought great energy to the gardening sessions. Her enthusiasm for wildlife,
water and gardening in general is contagious. With her mother’s nurturing support and now through her own actions. Witnessing her sharing with others the knowledge and practice she gains through our gardening sessions and her school garden growing activities and wildlife conservation projects elsewhere is validating! Encouraging this development of eager new gardeners seems to me to be one of the best impacts and legacy we can have in this project.”

Vauxhall City Farm Community Garden

Vauxhall City Farm ,received £40,000 to transform an area of unused allotments, closed to the public for many years, into a new community garden. 

The site is now a green oasis for the community to access, discover and enjoy nature with new raised beds, an ecology pond, composting bays, a sensory garden and a water irrigation system to collect and reuse rainwater. Over 700 people have volunteered in the garden already and over 400 schoolchildren have taken part in interactive Climate Change workshops.

"I started to volunteer at Vauxhall City Farm when the new garden opened. It's given me a new lease of life since I retired. I really enjoy helping to maintain this newly created garden."

Tim, Volunteer

Inside_Out

Christ Church Primary School SW9,received £35,142 to create an outdoor learning hub at their school in Brixton. 

The project enhanced the school’s woodland area and improved opportunities for both pupils and the local community to access green space and outdoor play. It has delivered weekly gardening and learning activities with children, parents and volunteers.

"My child has developed a healthier lifestyle and gained confidence during these activities. Time spent doing the school forest activities like planting trees and making the footpath with other parents and their children, those are moments every child will cherish. Running around the woods, digging, finding beautiful creatures under the soil. Children really love being in the forest especially my child. We are looking forward spending time with all other families in our school to enjoy the great outdoors."

Mamsi, Parent
 

Seeds of Change

Windmill Cluster of Schools, received  £38,680 to improve the outdoor areas at four schools: Orchard Primary School in Tulse Hill, Sudbourne Primary School in Brixton, St Jude’s Primary School in Herne Hill and St Luke’s Primary School in West Norwood. 

The project included a new orchard, tructures to provide shade and five new gardens. It has supported schools to improve the quality of outdoor areas and make links with local organisations to maximise learning opportunities for children and their families. A forest school programme involved almost 150 pupils from 7 primary school in weekly sessions.

"I have learnt how to make a shelter , I never thought I could do things like this. I have learnt something new each time and i can identify all the trees and most of the plants in the park. I asked my mum if we can go out to Brockwell Park to play in the holidays."

Pupil participating in Forest School

Buried Seeds Project

The Soul Shack LDN has been awarded £15,000 to create a community healing garden in Kennington. The project will be youth and community led, working with local young people to transform the site.

The Childeric Primary School Shade Garden

Childeric Primary School, received £14,000 to turn an unused grey outdoor courtyard into a “shade garden” at the school in New Cross.

The new garden is a haven for wildlife and a multi-purpose space to relax and play. It provides opportunities for learning about nature and growing, and a quiet sensory space for pupils with Special Educational Needs. Pupils, parents and staff took part in a Big Dig day, planting seeds and taking cuttings to celebrate the opening of the garden.

"The living wall is lovely. The different smells and the sensory nature of the living wall are interesting and calming for the children. The children can learn about plants and herbs and different uses, for example, medicinal uses." 

Gloria (Teacher)
 

Shannon Ward Sensory Garden

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, working with One Community, Westway Trust and Meanwhile Gardens, received £10,000 to transform open spaces at St Charles Hospital, North Kensington. 

The project has removed some paving and added new raised planters with sensory planting, food growing beds, seating, a picnic table and a new accessible path. The project provided therapeutic and wellbeing benefits to service users, who with volunteers have helped to create and maintain the garden.

"I love this space, I can find peace and tranquility, and space to breathe, and watch the wildlife. We can spend time there on our own or with activities, the herbs - chomomile and verbena - smell amazing. I feel the garden is a place of sanctuary when the ward is busy and when I get upset I can find space there and don't feel so overwhelmed and anxious."

Patient

The UP Garden

London Borough of Newham, with Little Diamonds Limited and Swan Housing Association,received £45,482 to convert an overgrown abandoned laundry yard in Forest Gate into a community garden and play space. n,

The project has depaved a large concrete area and planted wildflower turf. Participants created the garden out of upcycled materials from local businesses, including planters and a shelter to provide shade and a water harvesting system. The project was run and will continue to be maintained by a Steering Group and a Committee made up of local residents.

"As a lifelong local resident on the estate, I've witnessed significant changes in the area, especially in recent years. Being part of the Working Group and now the Committee has given me the opportunity to contribute to The UP Garden and shape the vision for green spaces in the community. I'm particularly proud of transforming unused spaces into functional green areas for families to enjoy, especially since my flat and many others don't have gardens. It's been fulfilling to utilise my skills to create spaces where we can picnic, play, garden, and socialise with other families."

Local resident

Trees for Cities, working with Upton Cross Primary School and School 21, received £40,000 to transform the grounds of the two schools in Upton Park and Stratford. 

The project included creating an edible playground at Upton Cross, and planting trees and other greenery at School 21 to reduce air and noise pollution. The project has planted over 1200 trees and whips and has involved ocer 1500 pupils and 100 teachers.

"The children in the Eco team held an opening ceremony for our new Edible Playground in front of the whole school. Children and teachers did a seed sowing workshop with Trees for Cities on the same day and the children are excited to see their seeds germinating." 

Teacher at Upton Cross Primary School

Long Wall Ecology Garden

Surge Cooperative,received £30,000 to revitalise a neglected green space in Mill Meads to create a new ecology garden. 

The garden has been created with the community through skill sharing workshops and includes a community orchard and new wildlife habitat. The project has engaged 80 people in in person tree-planting workshops and has developed an Orchard Care Team to look after the garden. The project recieved great feedback from passers-by who regularly use the Long Wall path.

"I came along to most sessions with my mum and sometimes one or both of my daughters who are 17 and 11. It’s wonderful to be so close to the waters edge. This was my first time planting trees at 47 and without this project I don't know if I ever would have done this. My life and my family has become more open and fulfilled since we have been volunteering with surge coop on the Chanelsea and I look forward to the coming months and my continued involvement to help the cooperative to do more good work on the river."
 

River Roding Pathway and Roding Wetlands

River Roding Trust has been awarded £42,400 to install a new path alongside the River Roding in Ilford, giving public access to the land for the first time in 40 years. The project will also create new wetland areas, install benches and interpretation to enhance the site.

The Octopus Garden

Trees for Bermondsey, working with London Borough of Southwark and other local partners, received £31,746 to create an accessible and inclusive community street garden in Bermondsey. The project transformed and depave an unloved, grey street corner, creating a calm and friendly green oasis.

Trees for Bermondsey turned a neglected street corner into a green oasis . They worked hand in hand with the local community and council to create a wildlife friendly space in the heart of Bermondsey. It has made a big difference to the look and feel of the area. It’s now a place where residents can sit and relax and it has brought a cross section of people together all working towards the purpose of beautifying the local area.

Leanne Werner – Councillor

OK Grow

Grow London CIC,received £10,000 towards a new communal food growing project at Aylesbury Estate in Walworth. 

The project created a productive collective growing space with a polytunnel, an outdoor workshop area and new seating. The project has built over 200m2 of raised beds, which have already been used to grow and provide fruit and vegetables to volunteers and local community food banks. 

"Amazing community space run by the community for the community - we need more of these spaces"

Volunteer

Ram and Magpie Community Garden

Spitalfields City Farm, working with London Borough of Tower Hamlets, Spacehub, Silas Yard and Providence Row Housing have been awarded £35,625 to create a new community garden on a piece of disused land next to the farm. The garden will be created in collaboration with the local community.

The Greener Exmouth Project

Swan Housing Association,working with The Carers Centre Tower Hamlets, Back Yard Nature and London Borough of Tower Hamlets has received £35,500 to transform five underused green spaces in and around the Exmouth Estate in Whitechapel. , 

The project planted six wildflower areas around the estate to enhance biodiversity and involved over 150 residents with community planting days and nature-related workshops to create bird feeders and bug hotels.

"As a resident on the Exmouth Estate for 15 years, I am delighted to be involved in such a positive project on the estate. The first consultation event was very inspiring with a lot of great ideas from the residents. I don't think I have ever left a resident's meeting so excited and hopeful for the future!"

India, Exmouth resident

Forest Gardens of Columbia Estates

The Orchard Project, working with Columbia Tenants and Residents Association, received £20,000 to create new forest gardens across estates in Shoreditch. 

As part of the project, local residents were able to access free accredited training in Forest Gardening. The project improved over 1000m2 green space and planted 36 fruit trees.

"Support from the Orchard Project has been invaluable in our creation of a sustainable orchard, I know that I have learnt so much over the past year. Help from The Orchard Project has enabled us to further our vision of an inner city orchard on our doorsteps. I look forward to watching our orchard areas mature over the next few years and being able to think "I did that". I have found being involved very beneficial in my physical and mental health". 

Ed, resident and accredited course attendee
 

Water Quality Nature Solutions Project

Canal and River Trust  received £55,000 to help improve water quality and support wildlife by installing floating reedbeds at Brent Reservoir. These floating ecosystems are cleaning and filtering the water and providing habitats for fish and floatig nesting space for birds. The reedbeds were installed in partnership with local volunteers, helping to make the site a destination for the community to use. Given the technical nature of the installation, the project was delivered with support from Biomatrix project managers.

Chinbrook Community SuDS

Thames21, working with London Borough of Lewisham, London Borough of Bromley, Friends of Chinbrook Meadows and Quaggy Waterways Action Group has been awarded £65,000 to create new wetlands at Chinbrook Meadows. The new wetlands will reduce flood risk, improve water quality in the River Quaggy, and create new habitat for wildlife.

Oakthorpe School SuDS and Wetland

London Borough of Enfield, working with Oakthorpe School and Thames21, received £65,000 to transform the flood-prone school playground in Palmers Green from grey to green, and to create a new wetland nature trail at the adjacent Tile Kiln Open Space. 

The project broke up the large asphalt playground to create lush new raingardens to soak up surface water run off. Raingardens were planted with school children, staff and parents and provide learning opportunities. The project has also created a new wetlands area to receive run off from a diverted surface water sewer. The wetlands now slow the flow of water joining the Pymmes Brook to help alleviate flood risk to at-risk properties further downstream. A new nature trail connects the school playground with the new wetlands. The project has depaved 160m2 of tarmac and includes 1800m2 of sustainable drainage features, including swales and raingardens.  
 

Connecting Green Spaces – Ufton Gardens

London Borough of Hackney, working with De Beauvoir Gardeners received £50,000 to connect two green spaces in De Beauvoir Town. The project made a temporary road closure permanent, which converted 55m2 of road into a brand new rain garden complete with  new trees and a new green area with sustainable drainage.

Old Lea River Restoration

Wildlife Gardeners of Haggerston,working with London Borough of Hackney, Lea Valley Regional Park Authority and Save Lea Marshes, received £30,000 to help restore the River Lea at Hackney Marshes. The project helped to bring the river back to life for nature and people with in-river restoration measures, supporting its future resilience.

The project reduced invasive plant species along the riverbanks and planted new reedbeds and wetland to improve water quality and enhance habitats. Local volunteers were trained to carry out all the improvements. The project planted over 400 trees and installed over 150m2 of reedbeds. 

"I have been involved in this fantastic project since the beginning and have learnt and seen so much! I certainly view the River Lea in a different light from when I started. We have learnt to do so many things such as planting reeds and rushes, building loggeries, uprooting Himalayan Balsam, building berms, conducting surveys of aquatic invertebrates – the list goes on and on. The whole project has been incredibly well organised and run and the other volunteers have been great. I feel really privileged to have been part of it."

Shelagh 

Adams Road Minor SuDs Project

London Borough of Haringey, working with Thames21 and Haringey Rivers Forum, received  £55,000 to install rain gardens and permeable paving at Adams Road in Tottenham. The project has reduced surface water flooding on a flood-prone road outside two local schools. The project has removed 170m2 tarmac, transforming grey to green.

"Thames 21 is very happy to be involved in this fantastic project helping to facilitate local people’s connection to the new Adam’s Road rain gardens. We will be working with local schools on a series of workshops allowing children to learn about how the rain gardens work and to get involved in helping to maintain them."

Sam, Thames21

The Urban Arboretum

Gardens Residents Association has been awarded £5,000 to further develop their plans for an urban arboretum in Harringay. The project aims to transform an unused 100m side street into a green oasis with trees and rain gardens to reduce flooding and increase shade.

Creating a Climate Resilient Bessingby Park

London Borough of Hillingdon, working with Eastcote Residents Association, Eastcote Flood Action Group, and Friends of Bessingby and Cavendish Parks, received £41,000 to introduce natural flood management and sustainable drainage measures at Bessingby Park in Eastcote.

The project has boosted the resilience of the park by creating a community wetland, a swale (basin) which retains water during flood events, reducing the risk of flooding to nearby homes. It has also introduced rain gardens to reduce road pollution from reaching the sewer network and improved over 1200m2 of green space. 

"I have been left in no doubt that my efforts – however small they may be - have been much appreciated by those in charge. Although it is always pleasing to be thanked and appreciated, the greater reward for me has been to watch the project progress, and to know that I have been involved with something that will ultimately be of benefit to the local community and wildlife for many years to come."

Volunteer

Greening the Grey on Community Lane

Hilldrop Area Community Association working with London Borough of Islington and Octopus Community Network received £11,000 to convert a former car park into a wildlife friendly green space in Tufnell Park.

125m2 of concrete has been removed to create a shady new green space with raised beds, fruit trees and new hedgerows. The project included weekly volunteer sessions to create the improvements and regular workshops to build skills and knowledge.

"After the pandemic, the gardening group at Hilldrop Community Centre was really helpful. It was exciting to be working on a new project, Greening the Grey. As well as the personal wellbeing aspect, we were motivated by the workshops to keep the garden looking as healthy, diverse, and welcoming as possible. The funding has enabled us to create a public green space within a quiet area shared by several estates."

Sarah
 

Hercules Road Depaving and Planting

WeAreWaterloo, working with London Borough of Lambeth and Land Use Consultants, has been awarded £65,000 to depave and green part of Hercules Road in Waterloo. The project will repurpose 300 square metres of former road space as green space, including sustainable drainage to reduce flood risk.

Agnes Riley Rainwater Garden

London Borough of Lambeth, working with Clapham Park Project and , Friends of Agnes Riley Gardens,received £20,466 to address flooding at the park in Clapham Park and boost its climate resilience. 

The project has improved an existing pond and installed a rainwater harvesting system to keep it topped up and has created a new raingarden to sustainably manage rainwater and provide new habitats. The project involved almost 250 local people in workshops, working with Froglife to support local people, including schoolchildren and young people with autism, to discover amphibians and pondlife.

"It was wonderful for my son to interact with other children socially and to see him take part and concentrate for once. It gave me an insight into what he is interested  in. He loved learning about the ecological contribution of frogs to the ecosystem.

Shakirat, parent of a child with autism

Deptford Community Market Garden

Ethical Land CIC, working with 2000 Community Action Centre, Grinling Gibbons School, Urban Organics, Roberts and Treguer, and The Culpepper Hospitality Group, has been awarded £26,000 to help transform a derelict builders’ yard in Deptford. The project will create a green hub for wildlife where organic food will be grown, working with local young people.

Dalmain Primary Rain Gardens

London Borough of Lewisham, Dalmain Primary School and RAFT received £25,570 to transform the outdoor space at the school in Honor Oak. 

The project reduced  the risk of surface water flooding within and beyond the school grounds through rain gardens and rainwater planters, whilst also helping students to learn about climate adaptation. The project included five engagement sessions with 200 children and installed 10 large rainwater planters to collect rainwater from the school roof. 

"Being involved with the planting process was a really fun and wholesome experience for me. I loved it! My hands were so dirty from all the hard work and effort we put into it but I didn’t mind because the experience was amazing. RAFT talked us through how the planters work and how we would not be wasting water because rain water would be used to water the plants. It has inspired me to think creatively about further ways to make the school more eco friendly, we have been discussing this in our eco meetings."

Student

The Leyton Boundary Garden

Leyton Boundary Garden, working with OrganicLea, received £20,908 to depave a large area of the existing community garden. The project removed over 180m2 of tarmac and installed large growing beds, planted 12 fruit trees, built a water capture system, and delivered an 'Introduction to Gardening' course with OrganicLea for 30 local residents. 

Participants were engaged in weekly 2-hour workshops, in which they learnt how establish a vegetable patch and grow and harvest food crops.

"As part of our practical learning, we prepared compost and had the opportunity to plant seeds, watch them take root and dedicatedly replanted a variety of seedlings using the prepared compost. Overall, we enjoyed the experience and look forward to using the knowledge gained in the community garden."

Hilda, Intro to Gardening participant

Lisson Green Pocket Parks Sustainable Water Access

Westminster City Council, working with Hammersmith Community Gardens Association and Lisson Green Tenants and Residents Association, received  £13,722 to enhance two allotment sites in Lisson Grove. ,

The project has installed a sustainable water supply reusing rainwater to support food growing and reduce flood risk. The system comprises of new water butts and a system of pipes to collect and store rainwater from the roofs of the tower blocks. 

"I could not have grown my usual vegetables this year without the water system because of the drought this year and we rely on our homegrown veg."

Resident