At our November meeting members enjoyed an inspirational talk by Suze Hu who told us all about the establishment of a Community Garden in an old laundry yard on the Field Estate in Forest Gate, named the Up Garden.  We first heard about the Up Garden when it won the RHS & BBC Growing Together Award for community gardening and featured on the BBC One Show and some of us visited it as part of the Forest Gate garden trail in June 2024. It is situated in an area of high deprivation behind a block of flats and it was a dark and derelict space full of brambles.  After leafletting local households on the estate Suze found that 240 responded positively to the idea of developing the yard into a garden with over 150 offering to help.  A generous grant was bid for and allocated by the Greater London Authority. 

Despite the money, however, there were a number of major problems on the way – because of inflation the cost of materials rose dramatically; a large area of Japanese Knotweed was discovered and the deep brambles took a lot of clearing.   To make things more difficult there was no water on site, but with a lot of determination, drive and hard work and with the support of local businesses, raised beds were built, a free play area established and donated furniture was painted in bright colours. Water Butts have been erected to hold over 7,000 litres of water, some connected to the block of flats down pipes. A pergola was built by volunteers and a green roof covers the buggy shelter.  A wildflower bed has been a great success attracting bees and butterflies; meeting the key aim of the garden to increase biodiversity. In six square metre planters vegetables are grown, there is a grapevine and wisteria growing up the laundry poles that were kept in the garden.  There are a number of committed volunteers which means that the garden can be open every day and the space is used as a place where members of the community can gather, events are hosted throughout the year including family events during school holidays. Suz was an inspirational speaker – her enthusiasm and drive, together with that of her team of volunteers, has transformed a laundry yard into a beautiful biodiverse green space for all to enjoy.

AGM.

The AHS AGM was held before the talk – Reports from the Chair & Secretary, Treasurer and Membership Secretary were unanimously agreed.  Officers and committee members were re-elected unopposed for a list of Officers & Committee Members please see XX on the website.