Growing Together at Chiswick House: 2021 in pictures

It’s been an exciting six months since we launched our Growing Together at Chiswick House community programme. We’ve been getting to know a wonderful array of community groups, meeting inspiring groups leaders, joining local networks and building a better understanding of local needs.

All of this talking has led to exciting collaborations which Harvinder Kaur Bahra, our Community Participation Manager shares through her picture highlights of the programme so far:

AUGUST

Let’s Go Outside and Learn delivered our fabulous Summer Family Workshops. We welcomed underserved families with little access to their own green spaces to the Kitchen Garden to enjoy a variety of creative activities.

SEPTEMBER

`Special Educational Need (SEN) London Parents Group joined us on a sunny Sunday morning in the Kitchen Garden. Led by our Gardening team, parents, carers and young people worked together to help clear borders, pick weeds and plant autumn crops.

Students from Queensmill School, a specialist provision for autistic young people, returned to our Kitchen Garden for their weekly work experience; helping pick apples, clean onions and collect leaves, while developing confidence, independence and employability skills  in a safe and supportive setting.

 

OCTOBER

Hounslow Seniors Trust launched the 27th annual Hounslow Older Peoples Festival in the Kitchen Garden. Bringing together local residents who, due to covid, have been apart from friends for over a year to enjoy a day of Tai Chi, tabla playing, walks, tours and making fresh juice with our apple press.

 We launched our important Black Chiswick through History project, working in collaboration with Chiswick School and Hogarth Youth & Community Centre to research our collection. Finding important links to people of colour and Black History and exploring innovative creative ways to share and present this work.

NOVEMBER

We supported the delivery of a four-week collaboration with The Wild Minds Project. Supporting young people from Hounslow who identify as LGBTQ+, using nature, being outdoors and creativity to inspire conversations, wellbeing and resilience.

Kite Studio got going with a six-week project, Plants and Printmaking, working with adults with additional needs from Mencap and Rivercourt Short Breaks, using the autumn season to inspire creativity and learning printmaking techniques.

We kicked off another exciting partnership project with MindFood. A six-week project called Growing Wellbeing, working with vulnerable adults at risk of isolation and loneliness. Using horticultural therapy and creativity to support wellbeing with a range of groups across the Borough.

DECEMBER

We have welcomed a number of groups throughout the last few months to the Kitchen Garden. Groups from Aviation Action, Trinjan, West London Welcome, Fresh Air and Friendships, Stoll, Hounslow Action for Youth, One You Hounslow, Sunshine in Hounslow, Hounslow Wellbeing Network, HAAYA, Future Gardeners, Hammersmith Community Gardens Association and look forward to many more!

Plans for 2022 we have an exciting year ahead, building on the partnerships that we’ve established, beginning new projects and continuing to develop collaborative ways of working that make full use of our gardens and improve people’s connections to their community, nature and wellbeing.

Thank you to everyone who has taken time to meet with me, shared their work with local people and helped to identify local needs and priorities. It’s highlighted what an incredible community we are part of and how much we all care about improving local people’s lives using the special green spaces around us and the places of heritage that belong to us all.

If you would like to get involved with the Growing Together at Chiswick House community programme please do get in touch – community@chgt.org.uk

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