Incredible Edible Lambeth

Schools during lockdown

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We were so sad not to launch our new film Growing Up in which we highlight the work of four amazing primary schools in Lambeth – do take a look, it will make you smile.

We realise that during this pandemic, many schools are staying open for the children of key workers. We want to support these schools through this period and encourage them to join our Growing for our Communities scheme. Some schools are looking to share seedlings with all their parents and kids during this time – is this something you’d like to do too? If so please get in touch with us and we can help you achieve something amazing! incrediblelambeth@gmail.com.

Our friend and fellow IEL member, Seonaid from Sprout Up is creating simple How to Grow videos – she has just published her first one – follow her here. Seonaid works tirelessly with kids to promote food growing in schools.

Finally, if you’re reading this and are not yet a member of IEL, please consider joining today as a Group Member and join the other schools in Lambeth who are already IEL members.

Growing Up

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Earlier this month, we had planned to launch this lovely short film about four amazing primary schools in Lambeth who are growing food. Our current crisis meant we were not able to meet together to celebrate (and encourage new food growers) but we thought you’d like to watch the film anyway, so here it is:

Growing Up, a film about four food growing schools in Lambeth (click the link ‘Growing Up’ to watch on YouTube)

child with microscope looking at insects outdoors

Covid-19 and our gardening

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EDITED: 15th October 2020

For anyone uncertain about visiting their community garden, we have compiled guidelines for visiting our community gardens from a variety of sources.

Food Growing for our Communities: we have received more funding to keep this going through the winter..get involved today!

Blooming Lambeth Awards 2020 – our biggest event of the year has had to go virtual this year; judging is under way – and we will hold an online celebration on Tuesday 17th November, from 7pm – check out this link to join.

All our events are virtual and are run through zoom – from member discussions to zoom garden tours – we will keep you in touch with our activities through our social media. If you have an idea for an event, get in touch incrediblelambeth@gmail.com

We have posted downloadable versions of our walks onto the website – please do print out and use them for your daily 30 minute exercise; our new Vauxhall map shows how many steps and Km the two routes are.

Insect Love

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Have you heard about the catastrophic decline in insects? There’s been a 76% drop in insect life in the past 20 years. “If insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into chaos” E.O. Wilson.

But don’t feel helpless – get informed and watch our Biodiversity Emergency webinar to learn more and gain some very practical advice.

And here are six steps you can take right now:

Step 1: never use harmful pesticides (sign our pledge and go pesticide free).

Step 2: put pressure on your local plant centre or DIY store to stop stocking harmful pesticides

Step 3: Let Lambeth Council know that you no longer want your street or estate sprayed with harmful pesticide. Contact your local councillor and streetchampions@lambeth.gov.uk. Or email us today for more information – incrediblelambeth@gmail.com

Step 4: ‘Say No to the Mow’: let your grass grow longer, or if it’s not your lawn, put pressure on your Management to get the contractors to mow less regularly (hashtag nomowzone). PlantLife are running a campaign.

Step 5: plant pollinator-friendly plants. For bees of all kinds, the two single best plants are willows and brambles. There’s a bee plant list at https://www.cotswoldgardenflowers.net/some-hints-and-tips/. Pollinators generally love buddleia, solidago, hylotelephium (formerly known as sedum), ivy, daisies of all kinds, fennel and other umbellifers. For caterpillars: nettles, ivy, mustard, garlic, birds-foot trefoil, holly and rhamnus. Register with Grow Wild for guidance on wildflower planting.

Step 6: make or buy a bee hotel – it’s as simple as drilling some holes in a block of wood! (IEL plans to hold a bee hotel workshop soon!)

Would you like to share your experiences as a food grower?

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Do you sometimes rely on the food you grow to feed yourself and/or your family?

If yes… 

Would you be willing to show Hollie around your food growing space and answer some questions?

You would be contributing to Hollie’s research at UCL into urban food security – hopefully helping others in the future.

It shouldn’t take longer than an hour. You can withhold your identity if desired. 

Your help would be appreciated 🙂

You can email us incrediblelambeth@gmail.com or Hollie directly on ucbqhca@ucl.ac.uk

Thank you!

Meet a new member: Jerome Webb, group member Organic Lambeth

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Could you tell us a little about how you got interested in growing food?From a young age I have been growing vegetables in my back garden. As I got older I realized the demand for locally produced organic food. I have completed a Diploma Level 2 in horticulture which has helped to give me both practical and theoretical skills in growing in raised beds with a no dig method.


What are your ambitions for the Carmelita Centre? Our ultimate goal is to make the Carmelita Centre the hub for producing locally made compost. Many sites struggle with having readily available compost on the go, we hope to bridge that gap. Therefore we aim to construct a compost bin area and green the area to attract more wildlife and increase biodiversity. 

What are you hoping to gain out of being an Incredible Edible Lambeth member? We are hoping to receive support with materials, seeds and seedlings. We would also like to be added to the green IEL route which will be a great start in doing our part for the community.

What are you most excited about in 2020? We are looking forward to contributing to the greening of the Vauxhall area as it needs a lot of work. We also have a tree planting session in early March which is a lovely community event to help boost wildlife in the area. There are other neglected spaces which we will be utilizing to help local residents grow their own food. To conclude, we are looking forward to collaborating with other organisations to help reduce our carbon footprint through growing and eating locally produced organic foods.

How did you hear about Incredible Edible Lambeth? Whilst browsing on the internet 

What would be the most helpful thing that IEL could do for you? The installation of a rat proof compost bin, provide compost, seeds and seedlings.

Thanks Jerome – we really look forward to working with you in 2020!

Calling all seed savers!

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Lettuce seeds
Lettuce seedheads, courtesy of Richard Galpin, London Freedom Seed Bank

Do you think seed-saving is important?

Do you save seeds?

Do you grow food from open-pollinated seeds? 

Hi, my name is Katie Dow and I’m a researcher at the University of Cambridge. I’m looking for people who grow their own food from saved seeds, who participate in seed swaps and/or buy open-pollinated seeds. I would like to talk to you about how and why you save seeds. 

You do not have to be an active seed saver or be part of any particular group to participate, you can just be interested in the idea or support those who do. If you are interested in participating in this project or would like to know more, please do get in touch. 

Email me at kld52@cam.ac.uk. 

You can also find me on Twitter @katieldow and at www.cornucopiaseed.uk.