Friends of Broomfield Park are looking for volunteers to help them launch their latest project - creating a Community Growing Space on an area next to Broomfield Community Orchard.
A typical growing space
The Friends recently reached agreement with Enfield Council to take over an area of the Park measuring approximately 20 by 40 metres, fenced on three sides and with an open, sunny, south-facing aspect. It is sheltered from north winds by a laurel hedge. An added advantage is the existence of a nearby artesian well, and the Friends hope they will be able to use it as a source of water.
Educational and health benefits
The area earmarked for the Community Growing Space
The Community Growing Space is envisaged as a not-for-profit social enterprise intended to encourage people to grow fruit and vegetables locally. It is hoped that people of all ages will be involved, but especially school chlldren and older people. There are many benefits that come from growing your own food, and not just in terms of improved taste and nutritional value (the plan is to grow food to organic standards). Growing andf tending plants has educational and health benefits (both physical and mental) and the fact that, unlike conventional allotments, it will be a community endeavour will help counter loneliness.
Funding sources
Ivor Evans of FoBP (far right) with other Enfield Growing Leaders on a visit to Myatts Fields Growing Space
The Friends have already received donations amounting to £1500 towards the project, a notable donor being the North London Netball League, which holds its matches in Broomfield Park. Further fundraising will be necessary - it is hoped that grants will be available from a number of bodies.
More help needed!
Friends of Broomfield Park have already built up teams of volunteers who help run the Community Orchard and Broomfield Conservatory. To get the Community Growing Space off the ground (so to speak), they will need more people to get involved in:
- designing and creating the growing space
- fundraising
- publicity
They are particularly keen to recruit people with experience of working on allotments and in vegetable gardens, and/or have an interest in garden design and who would like to act as facilitators.
The Garden Enfield Network
The Broomfield Community Growing Space is a member of the newly established ‘Garden Enfield Network’, whose objective is to help set up community growing spaces in Enfield and to develop a programme of training in organic gardening and the production of food in
conjunction with the local community.