Harvinder Kaur Bahra, our Community Participation Manager shares her highlights of community projects co-developed in partnership with local groups throughout 2023.

As part of our charitable mission, we want to ensure that we are serving our whole community. Thanks to the support of funders, Members and Patrons and the dedication of our staff and volunteers, our thriving community programme is helping to tackle some of the challenges we face in Hounslow. Isolation, loneliness, disconnection from nature, unemployment and poverty are just some of the serious issues we grapple with in our Borough. Read on to see how we are making a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of local people.

January

Although the Kitchen Garden was often frosted over, we continued to donate winter produce and hardy greens from the Kitchen Garden to Surplus to Supper to distribute food across the Borough to those who need it the most.

We also welcomed back students from Queensmill School to help us with a variety of gardening tasks in the Kitchen Garden, visiting every other Wednesday throughout the year.

The gardening sessions have provided a unique and engaging opportunity for these students to learn new skills and connect with nature, all while enjoying themselves in a welcoming and inclusive environment

February

Students from Cavendish Primary School returned for the Meet Me at the Gates project with Hammersmith Community Gardens Association, sowing seeds in the Kitchen Garden and making bird feeders for our feathered garden visitors.

We saw the return of our Monthly Mondays with Art Jar and local refugee families from West London Welcomes, taking inspiration from the Kitchen Garden to get creative and spend some valuable time together.  

It was very wonderful experience.

Thanks a lot. The art work was wonderful. I was so relaxed and inspired.

March

In spring, we welcomed new co-developed projects, with Trinjan and Masbro Elders Project working on the new Tea and Edible Flower Garden with Lauren, our Kitchen Garden Apprentice.  

I have never grown anything from seed, but you have inspired me. Coming here has given me the confidence.

 We also kicked off year 2 of the Black Chiswick through History Project. Working with Hounslow Action for Youth, Hogarth Youth & Community Centre and Chiswick School, to reconsider our collection through a diversity of local voices and perspectives.

April

Individuals from C-Change West London joined local Chef Manju Malhi for the much-loved ‘Cooking at Chiswick’ workshops. Giving participants the confidence to cook tasty, healthy meals using simple fresh ingredients and seasonal produce from the Kitchen Garden.

It has been lovely to come and learn cooking in such lovely and pleasant surroundings. Everyone is lovely and very helpful. Thanks Manju for inspiring me to cook!

Participants from the Rivercourt Project joined artists from Kite Studio to take part in another creative six-week project, exploring 300 years of built and natural design at Chiswick House. Their work was subsequently displayed in the Conservatory for The Heart of Design.

SEN London Parents Group resumed their monthly Sunday self-led family volunteering sessions. Enthusiastically completing a list of practical gardening tasks set by the Gardens Team.

May

We kicked off a new co-developed project with MindFood and the Riana Development Network. Focused on Growing Wellbeing, the project provides a space for the group to come together and increasing their confidence to garden.

Since coming to the MindFood sessions I feel I have learnt a lot about planting, I have learnt a lot about herbs and healthy foods, which has helped me with food and feeing better.

As part of Dementia Awareness Week 2023, we held our very first Dementia Friendly coffee morning, working closely with the Hounslow Dementia Friendly Network and Alzheimer’s Society in Hounslow.

We were also joined by the enthusiastic Deaf Women Ealing Group to spend a couple of warm and sunny Wednesday mornings gardening with us in the Kitchen Garden, spending quality time together and with our Kitchen Garden team. Join our Garden Together Wednesdays.

We learnt how to weed, each weed was put into a compost heap and we learnt how the compost gets broken down and re-used. It was very relaxing being in the garden, but also very tiring!

June

As the weather warmed, the Islamic mother and toddler group from HAAYA took part in a co-developed project with artist Nava Ahmed. Inspired by the Arabesque style wallpaper in the House, they created a beautiful tile artwork for display in the House, for The Heart of Design, exploring 300 years of built and natural design.  

 Amazing as always. This art project has been brilliant, it made us work together as a group and achieve such beautiful tiles, we would love to do something similar again.

 We always enjoy welcoming the Carers Network back during Carers Week, to acknowledge the incredible work of local carers. Enjoying a guided tour of the House and a well-deserved tea and cake in our beautiful Kitchen Garden on a summers day.  

It was a wonderful trip around the House & Garden. Just what I needed. Such a treat and a little time for myself. I will be back to explore the gardens more, now I know you are open each day.

I have loved today.

July

July was full of community creativity. The Black Chiswick through History Project displays opened with a celebration event for project partners (Hounslow Action for Youth, Hogarth Youth & Community Centre and Chiswick School) the artists, young people and their families got to see their work on display before opening to House visitors. 

I really enjoyed the different ways information was imparted, which kept things engaging. I particularly liked the audio guide and the art installations. Heritage is ever being re-interpreted!

More creativity followed with The Heart of Design, exploring 300 years of built and natural design with community artworks, artist commissions and culminating in a big celebration event showing local artists and musicians.  

August

We delivered another co-designed ‘Farm to Fork’ project with HAAYA, and outdoor learning practitioners Cultivate London. Exploring the wonderful variety of food we grow in the Kitchen Garden to making fresh, nutritious and delicious food to enjoy together.  

Really loved the workshops, learnt so much about different plants, veg and fruits. We are excited to start our own gardening journey inspired by our time at Chiswick Gardens

 We launched our Kitchen Garden trail – Design by Nature. A beautiful sensory trail, created and designed by Art Jar, encouraging visitors of all ages to look more closely at designs in nature, and enrich their exploration in the Kitchen Garden. 

September

The start of the school year saw the return of students from Queensmill School assisting the Kitchen Garden Team with a variety of tasks from weeding to fruit picking in the Kitchen Garden. 

The gardening sessions have provided a unique and engaging opportunity for these students to learn new skills and connect with nature, all while enjoying themselves in a welcoming and inclusive environment.

Along with the signs of Autumn, we saw the return of the Masbro Elders Project for another co-developed with MindFood project focused on using the natural environment to inspire creativity and mindfulness. 

Thank you for a beautiful kitchen garden. It made me feel healthier just being here. I also enjoyed all the activities we have done so far. It promotes wellbeing, being creative with plants and in general life. Reminds me of all the good things in life. Thank you so much!

We were excited to bring together the Deaf Women Ealing Group and local Chiswick artist Michelle Noach, whose work focuses on environmental change and impact. Using the autumn colour palette to create beautiful experimental prints. 

October

After a summer break, we welcomed back MindFood and the Riana Development Network to continue their Growing Wellbeing project, giving the group a space to come together and develop their confidence to garden. 

I have learnt so much. Thank you. I feel like my stress disappears when I come to the gardens

October is Hounslow Older Peoples Festival, led by the Hounslow Seniors Trust. Unfortunately the planned garden tour coincided with a bout of heavy rain. However, that didn’t prevent some, who came to hear about the history of the gardens and enjoy a slice of cake.  

To mark Black History Month and the end of the Black Chiswick through History Project, we welcomed Booker Prize-winning artist Bernardine Evaristo to discuss her writing and its engagement with the African diaspora, exploring how history impacts individual lives, particularly the weighty legacy of Empire. 

November

We welcomed local charity Home Instead and Arts4dementia to use the inspiring Kitchen Garden for their own art-based project, supporting local people living with dementia .  

We are really very grateful for what Chiswick house has provided us. It is genuinely changing the days of our participants who lives with dementia. Now they have at least one day a week to look forward to.

As the days got shorter, it becomes even more important to support the mental and physical wellbeing of our groups. The ladies from Trinjan returned with artist Jaimini Patel to practice mindfulness in nature. 

Thanks to you for creating these opportunities, giving us the tools to cope with the many difficult things that life can sometimes throw at us from bereavement, loneliness and ill-health. I look forward to coming back for more uplifting and enlightening projects in the future!

It’s also the perfect time of the year to start making a warm bowl of pumpkin soup. Working in partnership with our Kitchen Garden team and Sam’s Kitchen we donated our entire Pumpkin Harvest to community kitchens including The Olive Branch, Surplus to Supper and the Felix Project.

December

At a time when people can feel most lonely, we had a festive ‘Cooking at Chiswick’ session with individuals from C-Change West London and local Chef Manju Malhi, this was a moment to enjoy spending time together and cooking a festive feast, using winter ingredients from the Kitchen Garden. 

We also bagged up our first batch of Kitchen Garden Tea! A special herbal blend, which was lovingly planned, planted, grown and harvested by two local community groups – Trinjan and Masbro Elders Project.  

It was so very pleasing to see the conclusion of our Tea project today with the culmination of seeing the packed tea bags ready for sale and of course, the very important label on the back giving the community groups credit for their involvement. A proud moment and we thank you for this.

If you would like to support community projects like these in 2024 please consider joining as a Member for just £1 per week.

To find out more about our community programme, please get in touch by emailing community@chgt.org.uk. 

These projects are kindly funded by: