This month we are throwing the spotlight on two groups, both doing great work with children and young people.
La Retraite Roman Catholic Girls’ School
The food growing areas at La Retraite School are dotted around the main playground, from raised beds to potted plants and some herbaceous borders. They are lovingly tended by ESL teacher, Wanda Jarrett, who runs a drop-in gardening club for students over lunchbreak. On the day we visited in early March, the beds were bursting with winter salads thanks to seedlings provided by Myatt’s Field Greenhouses. In other areas, the pupils have helped to create new beds, choose plants, and have made beautiful handmade signage with inspirational messages of ‘LOVE’ and ‘HOPE’ to decorate the beds. Wanda is passionate about encouraging the students to connect with the natural world as a way to nourish their mental, physical and spiritual health.
Tulse Hill Adventure Playground
The advenutre playground on Tulse Hill estate has undergone significant repair work and redevelopment over the past couple of years and it’s nearly ready to re-open its grounds. During the building works, groups have been limited to indoor spaces and an outdoor court and the young people can’t wait to have the full run of the playground again soon.
It was exciting to hear about all the great opportunities there will be for growing food once the building work is finished. The team at the playground are aiming to create food growing pockets around the site, with fruit trees, vegetables, herbs and wildflowers for biodiversity. Raised beds are already in place, and a large pond and greenhouse are under construction.
They are looking for local partnerships to help make the most of the space and will be harnessing the creative power of the young people who attend their services to help design and maintain their growing areas. This is definitely a space to watch!
