Tuesday 25 November 2014

MEMBER NEWS: We need volunteers / Can you help?

Dear Garden Member

Over the last few weeks we've been talking to Groundwork (www.groundwork.org.uk) whose ethos is 'Changing places, changing lives - building stronger communities by improving green space'.  They've offered us a fantastic amount of ex Olympic reclaimed equipment and building materials for the Forest Gate Community Garden, which they will deliver to the site.

As part of the deal the Groundwork team have asked if we could drum up some volunteers to help with the loading in Canning Town and unloading in Forest Gate, which is where you come in!

Ideally we'd like to gather a group of 20 people so that we could have a decent sized team at either end. Basically the faster we can load and unload the more trips between sites they can do and the more equipment and materials we can have.

Some of the materials include bags of river stones and gravel and are bulky and heavy, so good gloves and solid footwear are essential. There are also lighter items, plastic sheeting and a plastic bottle greenhouse, so please help where and if you can.

We're hoping to set a date before Christmas this year. We really need you if you can make it, which is why we're trying to give you some advanced warning. We'll get back to you with a definite date and time as soon as we have one, as I know we're all chomping at the bit to get started.

Please email back to say if you, or any of your friends and family, are willing to help in principle (we know it will depend on the date/time): info@forestgate-community-garden.org.uk

Many thanks


Lisa and the rest of the Steering Group

LATEST NEWS: We're getting closer...

It's an exciting week for the Forest Gate Community Garden team as things are finally beginning to pick up speed. Hopefully we'll all be on site soon. Can't wait. Here's a little update to keep you in the loop...

Take a look at the banner on the boundary fence (see image opposite) – things are moving on! Thanks to Cllr Ellie Robinson for chasing this through.

Discount at Compotes – have you tried their delicious croissants and fab fruit teas? 10% off if you show your Forest Gate Community Garden Membership card, can't be bad!

The Steering Group is burning the midnight oil applying for a GLA High Street Grant to be in by 1 December 2014. Only 20 will be awarded across London so fingers crossed......

Monday 17 November 2014

MEMBER NEWSLETTER // Forest Gate Community Garden Monthly Newsletter // Issue 1 // Nov 2014

If you're a Forest Gate Community Garden Member you should have received your first Monthly Newsletter via email last week. If you're not a Member then simply sign up via our website for just £2 lifetime Membership and you'll get regular updates too. Here's a sneaky preview for those who missed it either way...

MEMBER NEWS // New bakery in town // Compotes E7 // FGCG 10% Member discount

Have you checked out Compotes yet, the latest addition to Forest Gate's cafe scene, just opposite the Lord Lister health centre on? It's going down a storm, plus if you're a Forest Gate Community Garden Member you get 10% discount on all artisan cakes, pastries, breads, rolls, soup and, of course, compotes...

All you have to do is present your FGCG Membership card to claim your discount. It's a great place to relax and meet friends upstairs, and they are open to 8pm every day.

If you need a new Membership card please email info@forestgate-community-garden.org.uk. To connect with Compotes tweet them @CompotesE7

Monday 10 November 2014

FEATURE // 'Nature on the Flats' // Rosemary Stephens // 3-9 November 2014

Welcome to our very first series on the Forest Gate Community Garden blog – a truly inspiring weekly wildlife diary by local artist and nature photographer Rosemary Stephens...

Thanks to Rosemary's generosity we have permission to share some of the amazing photographs she posts each day on her Twitter account 'Nature on the Flats' @RoseStephensArt.

Many of Rosemary's images are taken right on our doorstep in Forest Gate, London E7 – and especially on the wonderful green space that is Wanstead Flats. They include birds, insects, fauna and flora from wrens, robins and kestrels to spiders, moths, caterpillars and the ubiquitous squirrel.

Amazing to think that we might have some of the same fantastic wildlife in the Forest Gate Community Garden very soon.

Herewith are some images from 3-9 November 2014. To find captions including names of items visit Rosemary's Twitter feed and scroll back between the dates above.

FIND MORE INSPIRING IMAGES

...

LATEST NEWS // Amazing landscaping items secured from Groundwork London // Strong volunteers required

A big thanks to Groundwork London for helping the Forest Gate Community Garden secure some amazing landscaping items for our gardening, from the former Olympic site. Very exciting progress. We can't wait to see them in situ...

We are truly grateful for this free donation, especially to Forest Gate Cllr Ellie Robinson who arranged the meeting, Peter and Colin from Groundwork London, and Lisa and Hugh from the FGCG Steering Group who went to choose all the items.

STRONG VOLUNTEERS REQUIRED

Groundwork London are going to deliver the items to the garden site in a lorry at a convenient date to us and them – hopefully soon – but we will need some strong volunteers at our end (136 Earlham Grove, Forest Gate E7) to help unload and place items in a safe spot.

We'll post the exact date as soon as we have a concrete arrangement. It will probably be in December or January and should be in the week and during daylight/working hours. If anybody could and would like to help with this vital task please email info@forestgate-community-garden.org.uk as soon as possible so we can start to create a solid team. Mark subject: Groundwork Team

LIST / IMAGES OF OUR LOOT...

  • The remnants of a plastic bottle greenhouse – frames and some bottles
  • Some oddments of timber
  • Some lengths of trellis
  • A pallet of small concrete paving slabs – red, yellow and grey
  • A tonne bag of large river stones and a tonne bag of washed pebbles
  • A pile of lengths of corrugated plastic
  • Wooden decking squares
  • Two fantastic benches that only need a little TLC
  • 20sq metres of artificial turf and underlay
  • The option to take the frames of a permaculture kit which would provide us with some ready-made raised beds (separate transport required as too big for the lorry)

We can't wait to work these fantastic items into our design and see them fully installed in the Forest Gate Community Garden.

ABOUT GROUNDWORK LONDON

Groundwork is a national charity that works with communities across the UK supporting them to create better places, live and work in a greener, more sustainable way and to improve their economic prospects. They've been working in London for over 20 years helping to create a brighter, greener future for London and all Londoners.

They promote environmental best practice and play an active role in helping communities across London to become more sustainable, through education, training, community engagement, business support and collaborative open space improvements.

For more information see: www.groundwork.org.uk/sites/london

















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