Capital Growth

About Capital Growth The Capital Growth project aims to help Londoners transform the capital by helping to create 2,012 new community food growing spaces by 2012. The campaign offers practical and financial* support to communities around London, helping people get access to land and create successful food growing spaces. Take a look at the map below to see all the exciting projects that Capital Growth is already supporting, and zoom in to find one near you.

* Available for limited periods only

For further information, please contact Seb Mayfield

New to Capital Growth? In this Capital Growth section of Project Dirt you can find out all about some of the wonderful projects that we are helping and get in touch with those that are of interest to you. You can also find out which projects are in your area and if they are looking for volunteers.

Capital Growth is coordinated by London Food Link, the large and rapidly growing network of people and organisations interested in healthy and sustainable food for the capital. For further information about how to get involved in the campaign please also visit www.capitalgrowth.org.

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Existing Capital Growth Projects If you are a member of one of the projects we are supporting, join Project Dirt and mark yourself as a grower on your Project Dirt profile and/or project space. Use this project space to share thoughts, experiences and tips on setting up and running an innovative project – What are the advantages of new ideas led by community-based groups? What are the challenges? Have you found ways to get over them that others could learn from?


Barking & Dagenham
The Oaks Activity Centre A food growing space will be provided for the children of a newly renovated activity centre and a cook will teach the children how to make healthy, fresh meals.


Barnet
Mapledown School Special needs secondary school - establishing growing beds for a gardening project which will give all the pupils the opportunity to grow food.
Dollis Junior School School food growing project, 4 plots - one for each year group. Moving towards eco-status award.
London Action Group Barnet site The Allotments learning project aims to work with 30 families. The organization hopes to teach each family healthy eating, horticultural training, and improving the parent-children relationship. Each family would own their own allotment.


Brent
The Swaminarayan School 20X4m grassed area to grow food for school and to invite local community groups (inc retirement homes) to lunch to forge links.


Bromley
St Johns Church, Penge The food growing site is in the church yard and children from the adjacent school will grow their own vegetables with help from the school staff. Space will also be dedicated to volunteers who would like to participate. They also want to include chickens and bees as part of the site.
Ann Springman Hall The overgrown area next to the school will be transformed into a food growing site. The project intends to show children and parents better ways to eat. Parents will be trained by LBB at the training allotment in Bromley.
Horsell Flats The idea of the project is to link in with our greening the grey initiative to provide people with the opportunity and necessary support to learn to grow their own produce, as well as encouraging community integration. The area was originally a growing area and contains a well preserved greenhouse. The land will be worked by residents from the two adjacent blocks of flats.
The Duke Youth Centre The project will involve young people who attend the centre together with youth workers. The space will help young people who attend the centre to gain accreditation in growing and gardening. The project will be linked to the Greening the Grey initiative led by Bromley council.
Poverest Allotments reclaimed allotments space, not used in 20 years
St. Mary Cray Primary School The project is at a school playing field and will include students in years 5 and 6 where they will have lessons and after school clubs. Training will be secured for adults at Bromley.


Camden
Hancock Nunn and “Dig It” Schools Gardening Club 80ftX20ft patch of land at back of housing estate which has been cleared to be used by local residents for community building. They have formed - Hancock Nunn Gardening Club and have residents from Belsize Transition involved.
Sarum Hall School Land in front of school, where staff and pupils will grow food, learn about cooking and use the produce for their school kitchen.
Somers Town Community Association Flat roof near the childrens nursery at St Christopher's house. Being made into a food growing space, worked by a team of volunteers which will include parents and children of the nursery.
York Rise Growing Group Garden area between two block of flats. They are wanting to convert 3 raised beds which have previously been used for flower boarders.
Camden BME Alliance Camden BME Sustainability Forum will use land supplied by local businessman to create a community food growing space.
One Housing Group Paved area will be converted to grow food in greenhouses and growbags for use by residents with help from staff.
Housing and Adult Services, London Borough of Camden Community centre in Alexandra and Ainsoworth estate in Kilburn, where the estate regeneration team have set up an intergenerational gardening project within the grounds of the centre.
Global Generation School Ground rooftop, an extension to recently installed garden in order to create new project.
Heathview Food Growing is a Tenants Co-operative near Gospel Oak and Kentish Town City farm, NW London. We are keen to create a sustainable environment by composting, recycling and growing our own food on local land.
Camden Greenbank Community Food Project A disused communal play yard, will be made into a food growing space. An activity for Time Bank, set up by SPH.
University College London Land is part of the charitable educational foundation, it will be used by UCL staff and students, and host events such as harvest festival and training sessions for children and local residents.
Camden Garden Centre The project is to create a demonstration garden administrated by the Camden Garden Centre. This space will provide food growing training for the public. The demonstration garden will benefit many communities in Camden and eight schools are already interested in participating.
Ekopia / The InSpiral lounge Food growing space on the rooftop of Camden vegetarian restaurant.
West Hampstead Woman's Centre The project is aimed for women who have mental or health disabilities or disadvantaged by poverty, violence or discrimination. Women that attend the West Hampstead Womens' Centre have become involved in the garden which received funding in April 2009 from seed to plate.The project is expanding and the centre has hired a teacher to show volunteers different horticultural skills.
Grey Croft Resource Centre Two years ago the older people who use the centre started to grow vegetables. One of the objectives of the project is to involve the Bangladeshi community as they grow Bangladeshi and English vegetables on site.
Single Homeless Project This food growing project provides meaningful occupation for homeless residents. Growing food in raised beds will benefit the mental and physical health of the residents.
Dennington Park Garden project that provides meaningful occupation for homeless residents. Benefit mental and physical health area.
Lupton Street Food growing for the residents of Lupton Park. They will be able to learn practical skills about food growing and eat healthier diets.
Arlington Rd Garden for residents. A lunch event will be organized where residents interested in the project will be able to sign up. Gardening sessions will be organized to maintain the garden. Aprox. 25 residents along with staff and timebank volunteers will be involved in the project.


Croydon
St Joseph's Junior School Increasing space currently used for a well established school gardening club to include food growing.


Ealing
Centrepoint Unused space behind hostel will be made into growing space for use by young hostel residents and some staff members. Encourage residents who are on low income to learn how to grow own food. Food to be used in cooking workshops too.
London Residents Forum - Invicta Grove Community Garden Project Growing site on a housing estate, size of a football pitch. Food growing project to be open to all 158 residents.
British Waterways Owned by the british waterways, it is a disused site with overgrown shrubs. It's been classified as flood land and therefore there is no danger of it being developed in the future. The projects aims to grow fruit, vegetables and flowers.
St Vincent's Catholic Primary School School project closely linked into curriculum.
Vicars Green Primary School Project that will involve students and teachers. It will engage students in food growing and healthy eating habits


Enfield
Starks Field Primary School School creating a growing space, full vegetable patch covering 30 square metres.
Forty Hall Organic Vineyard Forty Hall Organic Vineyard is a commercial organic vineyard leased to Capel Manor College. Students, local residents and members of local mental health projects will be involved in growing grapes. The main initiative is to extend public awareness.
Elliot’s Field Allotment The Allotments learning project aims to work with 30 families. The organization hopes to teach each family healthy eating, horticultural training, and improving the parent-children relationship. Each family would own their own allotment. The project has also made a partnership with Grounwork.


Greenwich
Charlton Manor Primary School Charlton Manor Primary School is transforming a 14m by 16m space next to their playground into a food growing area. Pupils are learning how to grow food and plan to take part in cookery classes with their parents.
Ruddstreet and Buttmarsh Close tenants' Association Ruddstreet and Buttmarsh Close tenants' Association to establish a community orchard.
Avant-Gardening This project aims to build moveable food growing spaces in order to show different communities how to grow your own. The moveable allotment counts with a raised bed a green house and a mini-bus greenhouse. An Avant-Gardening artist will take the moveable allotment weekly and demonstrate simple gardening skills.


Hackney
Arcola Theatre Sustainable theatre will create roof graden to be run by theatre groups -youth theatre, over 50s etc as well as local community.
City and Hackney Teaching PCT Primary Care Trust to grow food in 3 separate spaces within the St Leonards site.
Growing Communities 10mX10m new plot part of rectory of St. Pauls church.
Farleigh Road This project at farleigh road is at a front garden. The organizers intend to involve all the residents in the street and maybe tranform their gardens. The project aims to grow food and herbs to be used by volunteers and local community run vegan café. The organizers would like to involve children through Hackney Young Careers.
Grass Shoots Grass Shoots has previous experience in community food growing 'Growing Kitchen'. Residents of the Wenlock Barn Estate will also work on the new Capital Growth sites. Produce will be used to further the existence of good fresh food in the area, once known as a 'food desert'. Any profit made from sales of food will be invested into the estate.
Jamie Oliver Ltd The staff of Jamie Oliver's companies will be involved in building and maintaining the roof top garden. The space is also open to local residents for food growing.
Headway East London Canal space at a centre for people with brain injury. The garden will provide a therapeutic, fun and sociable activity for those treated at Headway and their staff.
The Castle Climbing Centre A little over an acre of land that used to be landscaped will now predominantly be used for food growing. Food would be used for café and for users of the climbing school. Forest Garden is the desired food growing type. Anticipate opportunities to work with Hackney's Environmental Education Centre.
Hackney Community College Planters around the campus into food growing spaces. The project will motivate students and staff to participate. The project intends to encourage students and staff to eat local fresh food.


Hammersmith and Fulham
Carrara Wharf General Management Land owned by the estate which borders Thames Path and main route to Putney Bridge station. Carrara Wharf Residents will manage the land that will benefit local community and passers by.
Groundwork London Continuation of project started last year funded through Well London Programme which will continue to fund food growing sessions, recipe sessions and aspirational trips for residents.
Broadway Homeless hostel wants to create space for clients to grow food as form of education and therapy.


Haringey
Back to Earth Projects Food growing space surrounds broadwater farm community centre.
Friends of Tottenham Marshes - Permaculture Group Lea Valley Parks owned land in the Lea Valley. Land has been used as dumping ground. Will be worked on by the Permaculture volunteers.
Transition Finsbury Park Children and adults from the local community will be growing food in Finsbury Park. Produce will be given to children as healthy snack food, any excess will be sold to reduce food miles in area.
Metropolitan Housing Trust Meridian Walk Unused carpark behind the housing estate. Metropolitan Housing trust wants to convert this tarmac into a growing project by encouraging residents to grow their own food.


Hounslow
Suffah Primary School Space on school ground they want to convert into food growing area, to benefit school and local community.
The National Trust The 3 hectare site is located at Salopian House, the National Trust will convert the garden into an allotment.There will be open days and The National Trust are looking for community groups to look after and manage each allotment.


Islington
SOAS Good Food Society SOAS Good Food Society are creating a food growing space in the heart of London! Students are coming together to grow food that will benefit their university community.
Olden Garden Community Project Establishing a vegetable growing plot within their 2 acre site of Olden Garden. It will benefit local Drayton park school who they have already given some garden space to, and local residents who have little or no gardens of their own.
Mayville Gardening Club Land in built up housing estate. There are 26 households currently involved in the Mayville Gardening Club.
Drayton Park Primary School The school has access to an allotment which the children can use for food growing. The benefit will be to the keystage 2 students who will be planting as plart of their curriculum.
St Luke's Centre Growing space at back of St.Luke car park with over 50 raised beds, 71 plots, 5 micro food farms for vertical growing.
New North Community School The school will transform the roof into a vegetable and fruit garden. It has great accessibility for students and teachers.
The Factory Community Project The school will develop a sensory garden and a food growing area within the playground so children will have constant access to the food grown.


Kensington and Chelsea
Brand Events Real Food Ltd. Roof space in the Earls Court Exhibition Centre that would provide an edible garden for office workers of Earls Court and the Real Food team. The space would get workers of Earls Court to grow their own food and educate them in gardening.
Middle Row Primary School A food growing space in school grounds where children will be encourage to grow their own food. The project is part of the Capital Clean up Green up and it intends to involve people from the community, parents and children.


Lambeth
Loughborough Green and Growing Multiple spaces of disused, wasted land throughout the large Loughborough estate are being converted into food growing areas.
Blenheim Gardens Estate New food growing around social housing. Space is within exisiting gardens which aren't been used for food growing. Will be maintained by a Food growing group who will offer workshops and support to residents
The Close Tenants Association 50ft by 10ft growing space at end of basketball court, to be used by the tenants gardening club to grow food.They hope to get young people involved and give benefit to residents who don't have gardens.
Friends of Hillside Gardens Park and Palace Nature Garden Supported by Lambeth council raised and overgrown parkland will be converted into a food growing space.
Hyde Farm Community Garden - Growing space is at Hyde Farm State around a derelict church, a nursery and a primary school.
Holmewood Neighborhood Association with Transition Town Brixton Green pocket adjacent to a council state, primary schools and nurseries will be converted into an orchard and forest garden.
New Leaf 22X16m plot. Will be a wheelchair accessible garden with indoor space to run sessions for various patients at GP surgery.
St. Bede's Roman Catholic Nursery and Infant School Aim to establish a gardening club to be used by children and parents of the community.
Cottington Community Garden New space, large green area in front of estate. Space will benefit the families and residents of the estate.
Trinity Rise Land to rear of new development, formed part of a residential property now demolished. To be used by residents and local community with help from Metropolitan housing Trust. Opportunity to expand growing space if there is success in the beginning. The project will work in partnership with college horticultural courses.
Moorlands Estate An existing community food growing space looking to expand. More residents living in flats will be able to participate in the garden.
Cultivating Company The project will involve children in food growing. The project is at allotments that have been abandoned. They also intend to use recycle materials such as scaffolding wood planks.


Lewisham
Pepys Community Forum 3000 sq ft of unused allotments being used to become a community garden with permission from the council. Space has been converted into an edible garden with different growing areas.
Ruth Robinson Space at a church for community food growing.
St Saviours Community Garden A plan to start urban food growing in the grounds of St Saviours Church, Brockley Rise.
Merlin School Two gardens at the rear of the school, which belong to residents of Phoenix Community Housing. The residents have given permission to the school to grow food.
Catford Community Garden The Catford Community Space is a combination of disused allotments and waste ground. This Capital Growth site will be a tool to encourage regeneration of the area, teach children about food growing and organize the community.
London Action Group Lewisham Site The Allotments learning project aims to work with 30 families. The organization hopes to teach each family healthy eating, horticultural training, and improving the parent-children relationship. Each family would own their own allotment. The project has also made a partnership with Grounwork.
Urbanbloom Sydenham Part of Mayow Park the project will include community growing, gardening workshops, free drop ins for adults families and schools. The project will allow people to learn skills and encourage local wildlife.
Deptford Food Growing Action Group of the People Food will be grown in recycled containers including an abandoned car! The site is located in the yard of an artists' residence. The Artists from the organization and the local community will participate in the project.


Merton
May Project Expanding on a food growing space to create new growing plots for community benefit.
Sustainable Merton Growing project on 2600 sq yeards on a 4.5 acre overgrown allotment site, leased to Merton council from National Trust.
Haslemere Primary School School project using parents as volunteers and supported by staff and holiday club during school holidays.
Merton Abbey Primary School Want to create two raised beds in some of the wasted open space for children to grow and learn about food. 2 plots of 2x1m each.


Newham
Community Links An acre of land on a city farm. Aim to construct polytunnels and greenhouses and a biodigestor to create a commercial market gardening venture. Work will be done by disadvantaged young people by creating structured training programmes.
Dirty Hands Project Bag and bed system in old basketball court beside estate
Friends of Abbey Gardens Abbey Gardens food growing site is part of a larger project aided by the council to transform the abbey gardens site, the site was once used by monks!
The Swift Centre A roof top will be converted into an urban allotment. Children from the youth centre will be working alongside adults with learning disabilities who attend the nearby church.


Redbridge
Oakdale Junior School 16X15m uncultivated plot. Will involve staff, parents and children as well as local community and incorporate into school curriculum and school kitchen.
Churchfields Junior School Space in brand new school garden backing onto wilderness area.
Redbridge Young Offending Team New food growing site to be managed by Youth offending team - to be worked on by young people with court orders as part of community payback scheme.
Growing Kids Community Allotment Wildlife Garden The project encourages families to grow their own food in 2mx3m allotments. Bringing a number of families to one communal space will encourage parents and children to eat together, learn about food growing and meet other families. 65 Families will have access to the project as well as the local nursery and preschool and primary schools.


Richmond
Ham United Group Plot 20X10m to create a community allotment as part of school farm smallholding run by a charitable organisation.
HMRP Latchmere House Space in prison grounds to be used by offenders required to undertake community service.
Creative Food Garden Based around a group of people who work together we are creating a food garden in unused garden space at our office to share with our neighbours and community.
Sonny’s Restaurant roof space to be made into a food growing garden where herbs and vegetables can be used in Sonny's restaurant.
Trafalgar Infant School Trafalgar Infant School are expanding their established growing space to include food growing in the curriculum. Local allotment holders will train the staff and pupils.The produce will be used in the school's cafeteria.
Queen’s House Allotment Project The project will be at a communal area of Queen’s house. 4 Families are already committed to the project but they hope for more to join. They have access to horse manure and would like to grow vegetables and fruit whilst teaching kids about healthy food choices.


Southwark
Surrey Docks Farm Land to be used by new 'have a go horticulture club' - hoping to have up to 40 participants.
Growing Southwark: Cossal Estate Community Growth Project New project by Green Venture's Food for Health - "growing southwark". Inspired by consultation by Well London. Looking to bring residents on Cossal Estate together in a food growing project.
Gloucester Primary School School food growing project.
Dallaspeirce and Quintero Part of large regeneration project already part funded through competition. Will create allotments and edible walls.
The Arabica Food and spice Company - Project Name - The Hanging Gardens of Camberwell 18mX3m walled area behind food production unit. Aim to create educational garden and involve local schools/school food.
Dulwich Going Greener Garden of a park lodge. 15msq space, supported by Dulwich Going greener and Dulwich Park friends and park authorities.
Styles House Tenants' and Residents' Association 10X8m plot using raised borders on a hard surface.
Bankside Open Spaces Trust Potters Fields trust is trying to set up the first phase of a growing space. They will work with the local school (tower bridge), City hall volunteers and residents.
Northfield House Tenants and Residents Association A child size orchard will be located in the garden of the estate. Children and parents from the estate will be involved in the project as well as community payback team.
Camberwell College of Arts A group of staff and students will start and maintain a food growing project in the College's grounds. Establish a food garden that will supply the college canteen. They intend to supply the college canteen and encourage involvement of the South London Gallery, Peckham Space and Peckham Library. The project will be well documented and part of a blog/website.
East Dulwich Road Estate The site is located at a housing estate in southwark. There are various plots within the estate's grounds and residents will benefit from the space. The emphasis is on involving children from the estate with a childrens gardening club.
East Dulwich Road Estate The project aims to organize the community for a specific goal as there is no tenants association. They want to focus on involving children that live in the estate so that they will learn about food growing and healthy food.
Centre for Literacy in Primary Education The centre runs events where they encourage families to grow their own food at home. The centre counts with a number of containers and planters where they run their training events.
Camberwell Farmers Garden Community gardening project in vicinity of council estate, pensioners housing and 3 schools. Resident will convert a derelict piece of land into something that will benefit the residents and local community.


Sutton
New Possibility Committee Former allotment sites leased by bioregional to BedZED for food growing
London Action Group Demense Road Allotment The Allotments learning project aims to work with 30 families. The organization hopes to teach each family healthy eating, horticultural training, and improving the parent-children relationship. Each family would own their own allotment.


Tower Hamlets
Spitalfields Estate An extension of existing community garden - individual plots. It will double the size which will allow more residents who are on a waiting list to grow food. Exisiting gardens a huge success.
Christ Church C of E Primary Scrool Food growing space in school grounds will be used by their 150 children as part of curriculum, and parents.
Hermitage River Projects/Hermitage Community Moorings Series of micro allotments 5sq metres per boat - to be used by and maintained by the boating community.
Growing Concerns Garden Centre Existing community business with land which is for maintaining wildlife. Will convert some of it for food growing in raised beds, composting and wormeries
Cyril Jackson Primary School Primary school in Tower Hamlets to turn a derelict area which was one a wildlife garden into a food growing space.
Cranbrook Community Food Garden The food growing scheme is open to all residents on and around the Cranbrook Estate, especially those with children. The project is to teach parents and children about growing their own food, healthy eating and caring for their environment.
Growing Concerns Garden Centre (british Waterways Boat) Growing space is in a boat that belongs to the british waterways. All materials proposed are organic and from renewable resources.
Leabank Square Gardening Club Three food growing plots beside the riverbank.


Waltham Forest
Larkshall Road Residents Association Space next to the road with no previous use, to be turned into allotment areas for the use or the residents of Larkshall Road Estate.
Waltham Forest College The project lies within the college campus and is part of the curriculum for hospitality students. The garden produce will be used in cooking, advertised and marketed by the students through the training restaurant.
Organic Lea A site located in East London at the Hawkwood Plant Nursery where a significant amount of sustainable food plants and fresh food will be produced. This food will be available for sale via independent community-based outlets and it would be grown with organic methods. The site will also be used for training courses by Waltham Forest Community Learning and Skills Service.


Wandsworth
RU Outdoors (Roehampton University Campus) - create growing space on campus grounds for food growing managed by staff and students. The space will benefit local community through organised events.
Christ Church C of E Primary Scrool Site is nearby school and falcon road state and will be developed by the primary school for educational purposes.
Greenmead Primary School A grassed area on new school site for children (mainly in wheelchairs) to grow and then cook their own food with the help of teachers, catering staff and support staff.


Westminster
LETS GO LETS GROW Converting disused space -180 sq meters - at rear of building within a deprived housing estate. To be managed by a steering group of Westminster residents on a project "Let's Grow lets Grow".
Ebury Gardening Club Residential estate, various locations around the estate which they will use for food growing.
Golley Slater Public Relations on behalf of Hilton Hotel Group Rooftop terrace of the Trafalgar Hilton will be renovated to feature a growing space of different herb varieties
Beachcroft School Growing space that counts with three raised beds at the moment and is used by some pupils. The idea is to expand the project and to involve more children into food growing. They plan to work with pupils, develop site growing vegetables, herbs and wildlife area. Most pupils are either in CJS, social services etc.