Grow for the future
Grow for the future is an initiative and the UK’s first policy to transform unused council land to grow food and educate urban children on healthy living. Funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) – which is part of the UK Government’s Levelling Up agenda, this new policy will enable local communities to grow food. The aim is to pair each new site with a local school or VCSE group in areas which are built up and have limited access to green spaces and to encourage individuals to get active, get involved and participate in local community growing sites.
Hounslow Council plans to bring online four new sites per year. The initial phase of Grow for the Future is working with areas of unused council-owned land, but subsequent phases will assess private wasteland that could be leased or purchased by the council and opened up to the public and schools as community growing and educational spaces.
Grow for the Future’s first orchard project is already underway, transforming an underused, empty space in Westmacott Drive Open Space where a wildflower meadow will be seeded and where apple, pear and cherry trees, and raspberry and blackberry bushes will be planted in the upcoming season. Local school children are collaborating with the activities including growing sunflowers for the new site.
The second orchard project will open up a neglected alleyway in Brabazon Estate currently targeted by fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour where new fruit trees and bushes will be planted. Both sites are expected to be in bloom for next spring.
A third site and fourth site is still being determined.
Westmacott Drive Open Space- 'Westmacott Orchard'
- Phase 1- Wildflower meadow created (awaiting establishment)
- Phase 2- Native Hedging and tree planting (completed)
- Phase 3- Sunflower planting (4 sessions at Rivers Academy mid April)
Event: Rivers Academy students volunteered with Lampton GS to plant trees.
Brabazon Estate- 'Henley's Orchard'
- Lavender and tree planting (completed)
- Herb garden, berry bushes, edible perennials and nature based workshops (Future Aspirations)
Event: Residents and Community Groups and Lampton Greenspace planting trees and lavender 18.01.24
(Heston Action Group, Local National Park City, Heston West Big Local, C Change West London, Heston Repair Cafe, Let's Go Outside and Learn)
We are working with a variety of delivery partners such as Cultivate London, Lampton Greenspace and many others to provide skills in horticulture in food growing and opportunities where individuals can shape their community growing spaces, contribute and impart their skills.
Across many of these projects and initiatives, there are themes such as food growing, safety, culture, climate change, health and access to nature are prominent. We are carefully knitting together these themes as we understand are not mutually exclusive. We are also priorising the aspect of cultural inclusion, especially with Hounslow so close to Heathrow Airport, a home to many countries, languages, ethnicities and faiths. By doing so we are encouraging people to have the ability to resonate with the spaces they live in, develop intergenerational bonds, share cultural information and create outlets for people to feel safe in – in order for them to want to look after and take pride in green spaces
- Food growing
- Safety
- Culture
- Climate change
- Health
- Access to Nature
