Funding for community projects Expand There are many different funding options for community food growing projects, from small pots from your local council or local shops, to larger amounts from charitable trusts. The options below are just a few starting points, as there are many more possibilities for sourcing funding. Islington Council local funding www.islington.gov.uk/advice/vcs-organisations/funding-and-grants Information on sources of funding for community projects based in Islington, including Local Initiatives Fund offering small grants for activities and improvements in neighbourhoods in Islington (if you are based in a different borough, check your local council website for details as many councils offer local ward funding) Voluntary Action Islington www.vai.org.uk Organisation supporting social action in Islington. Includes a section on finding funding for your project, as well as other resources for running a community project. Shop community funds e.g. Coop, Tesco etc Various websites e.g. Cooperative Community Fund www.causes.coop.co.uk Many national shop chains have a community fund to support local community projects, often for customers to vote for. Ask in shops local to you, or search online Alec Dickson Trust www.alecdicksontrust.org.uk Offer grants of up to £500 to individuals or groups of young people aged 30 or under, towards setting up or running a community project Awards for All www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/programmes/national-lottery-awards-for-all-england Big Lottery Fund small grants between £300 and £10000 to support community projects Unltd www.unltd.org.uk Offer support and funding for those wishing to establish a social enterprise Funding Central https://www.fundingcentral.org.uk Funding Central provides access to information on grant funding opportunities from local, national and international funding sources as well as social investment from a range of providers
Food growing with children and young people Expand There are lots of opportunities for children and young people to learn about food growing, including at local city farms and community gardens, as well as activities to do at home. Families Go Wild at Spitalfields City Farm 2 Buxton Street, E1 5AR www.spitalfieldscityfarm.org 020 7247 8762 [email protected] Family volunteering on Saturday 11.30 - 1pm. Youth volunteering (13-18 years) on Sunday 10am - 4pm Mini Farmers Club at Hackney City Farm 1a Goldsmiths Row, E2 8QA www.hackneycityfarm.co.uk 020 7729 6381 [email protected] Mini Farmers Club held every Saturday morning from 10.30am - 12.30pm for 8-12 year olds Young People's Sessions at Stepney City Farm Stepney Way, E1 3DG www.stepneycityfarm.org 020 7790 8204 [email protected] Young People's volunteering sessions (aged 12-18) on Sunday 1 - 4pm RHS Activities for Families www.rhs.org.uk/education-learning/gardening-children-schools/family-activities Online resource of gardening activities suitable for families, including growing, crafting and days out BBC Gardening with Children www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/gardening_with_children Gardening guide for gardening with children
Food growing in schools Expand Growing food in schools can be incredibly rewarding, as pupils learn about where their food comes from and develop an awareness of environmental issues and the world around them. School gardening projects can also be linked to the national curriculum at all levels, and provide a fantastic resource for engaging pupils with many different needs. RHS Campaign for School Gardening www.rhs.org.uk/get-involved/schools Information on setting up a school garden Capital Growth for Schools www.capitalgrowth.org/schools/ Signposting schools to resources to help establish food growing projects Food Growing Schools London www.foodgrowingschools.org/get_involved/springintogrowing Resources for all aspects of learning about food growing in school Countryside Classroom www.countrysideclassroom.org.uk Resources linking food and farming to the curriculum
Online resources and support Expand With so much information about food growing available on the internet, the list below is a small selection of websites to start from. Garden Organic www.gardenorganic.org.uk/growing-advice 024 7630 3517 [email protected] Organic growing advice sheets and resources Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) www.rhs.org.uk 020 3176 5800 Contact through website Reference for plants, gardening tips and growing advice Vertical Veg www.verticalveg.org.uk Contact through website Advice on growing lots of food in containers and small spaces No Dig with Charles Dowding www.charlesdowding.co.uk/learn/ 01749 860292 Contact through website Organic growing resources following the 'no-dig' method Carry on Gardening https://www.carryongardening.org.uk/ Contact through website Website offering advice on starting or continuing gardening with a disability Social Farms and Gardens www.farmgarden.org.uk 0117 923 1800 [email protected] Directory of social farms and gardens across the UK, including London. Resource section on community food growing. London Permaculture Network www.londonpermaculture.com Contact through website Connecting those interested in finding out more about permaculture in London. Publish a monthly email newsletter with London-based events. Gov.UK Allotment Finder www.gov.uk/apply-allotment Find out how to apply for an allotment in your area
Gardening supplies Expand From compost to seeds, tools and plants, there are many supplies which are useful for supporting your food growing. Many items for the garden can also be found for free, so check sites such as Freecycle (https://uk.freecycle.org) and look out for local seed swaps and plant giveaways. Islington Council Home Composting Scheme www.islington.gov.uk//recycling-and-rubbish/recycling/reduce-and-reuse/composting-at-home Support for Islington residents to compost at home including subsidised composting bins and wormeries (if you are based in a different borough, check your local council website for details as many councils offer subsidised products) Compost Direct www.compostdirect.com 0845 873 1523 UK-wide company offering delivery of bulk peat-free compost, soils, barks and smaller gardening supplies Growing Concerns Garden Centre 2 Wick Lane, E3 2NA www.growingconcerns.org 020 8985 3222 [email protected] Garden Centre based in East London offering seasonal stock of gardening supplies. Open Tuesday - Sunday 10am to 6pm Tamar Organics www.tamarorganics.co.uk 01579 371087 [email protected] UK-wide suppliers of organic seed and garden supplies Real Seed Catalogue www.realseeds.co.uk 01239 821107 [email protected] UK-wide supplier of open-pollinated, heritage seeds, with lots of advice on the website about seed saving Organic Gardening Catalogue www.organiccatalogue.com/ 0844 967 0330 [email protected] UK-wide company offering delivery of organic seeds, plants and gardening supplies OrganicLea Community Growers Hawkwood Plant Nursery, 115 Hawkwood Crescent Chingford, E4 7UH https://www.organiclea.org.uk/we-help-you-grow-your-own/plant-sales 020 8524 4994 [email protected] Market garden based in North-East London, offering organically grown plants and bags of organic compost to order. Open Days on last Sunday of each month, 12 - 4pm Herbal Haven www.herbalhaven.com 01799 540695 [email protected] Essex based company offering delivery on a wide range of herb plants
Training Expand From one-day introductory courses to accredited Horticulture training, there are various options for increasing your knowledge of gardening and food growing in a more structured way. Many offer concessions discounts too. Capital Growth www.capitalgrowth.org/training/ 020 3559 6777 [email protected] Learn about urban food growing with hands-on sessions in community gardens across London with Captial Growth Hackney Herbal www.hackneyherbal.com/ 020 8616 0698 [email protected] Hackney Herbal run workshops and community courses in growing and using herbs, based in Hackney Made in Hackney www.madeinhackney.org/ 020 8442 4266 [email protected] Made in Hackney host plant-based cookery classes and courses at their community kitchen in Hackney OrganicLea Community Growers www.organiclea.org.uk/ 020 8524 4994 [email protected] OrganicLea offer Level 1 and 2 City & Guilds Horticulture courses as well as volunteering placements and traineeships at their 12 acre market garden on the edge of Epping Forest in Chingford Capel Manor College www.capel.ac.uk/ 0303 003 1234 [email protected] Range of full and part-time land-based courses, including RHS Horticulture courses (see below) Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) www.rhs.org.uk/education-learning 020 3176 5800 [email protected] Offer RHS accredited Horticulture courses at certain centres and also online for home study
Places to visit and volunteering opportunities Expand From community gardens to city farms, there are lots of places in London to visit and see what others are doing, as well as volunteer to gain food growing experience alongside other people. Volunteering is a great way to learn about food growing whilst meeting new people too. St Luke’s Edible Yard St Luke’s Community Centre 90 Central Street, EC1V 8AJ www.slpt.org.uk/ 020 7549 8181 [email protected] St Luke’s Edible Yard and Woodland Terrace Garden. Gardening Group on Tuesday from 2 - 4pm Food Growing Group on Thursday from 2 - 4pm Friends of City Gardens Across the City of London www.friendsofcitygardens.org.uk/FCGHome.html Contact through website Various volunteering opportunities in gardens across the City of London Spitalfields City Farm 2 Buxton Street, E1 5ER www.spitalfieldscityfarm.org/ 020 7247 8762 [email protected] Open Tuesday to Sunday between 10am to 4pm, October – March and 10am to 4:30pm, April – September. Garden volunteering (over 18s) on Wednesday 11am - 2pm and Thursday 1 - 3pm Stepney City Farm Stepney Way, E1 3DG www.stepneycityfarm.org/ 020 7790 8204 [email protected] Open Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 4pm. Open volunteering sessions (over 18s) on Tuesday and Thursday, 1 - 4pm Cranbrook Community Food Garden The Cranbrook Estate, Mace Street Globe Town, E2 0QS www.facebook.com/pg/CranbrookCommunityFoodGarden/ Contact through Facebook Usually open to visitors on Saturdays in good weather from 11am - 3pm Canal Club Community Garden Belmont Wharf, Waterloo Gardens E2 9HP www.facebook.com/canal.club.community.garden Contact through Facebook Small community and wildlife garden on the edge of the canal. Usually open to visitors on Tuesdays in the summer from 2 to 6.30pm Growing Communities Sites at Clissold Park & Springfield Park, Hackney www.growingcommunities.org/ 020 7502 7588 [email protected] Small sites mainly growing salad for Growing Communities salad bag scheme. Volunteering sessions on Monday 10am - 4pm at Clissold Park and Tuesday 10am - 4pm at Springfield Park The Orchard Project Opportunities across London www.theorchardproject.org.uk/ [email protected] Various events listed on The Orchard Project website, all involving learning about urban orchards, including fruit tree planting and care. Permablitz London Opportunities across London www.permablitzlondon.com/ Contact through website Help transform a space in one day whilst learning about permaculture and edible garden design. Permablitz events listed on the website. Capital Growth’s Big Dig website www.bigdig.org.uk/aims to get people involved in their local community garden. It includes a map of community food gardens so that you can search for those nearest to you. The RHS Community Gardening website www.rhs.org.uk/get-involved/community-gardening includes information on community gardening, including finding a group near you.