2024: celebrating another year of incredible co-developed community projects
As the New Year begins, Harvinder Kaur Bahra, our Community Participation Manager, takes a moment to share her highlights from 2024’s community projects, events and activities, all co-developed in partnership with a range of local community groups, artists and facilitators.
Thanks to the support of funders, in particular The Linbury Trust, the dedication of our staff and volunteers, and commitment of our hard working community group leaders, the Growing Together Community Programme is helping to tackle some of the challenges we face in Hounslow, from isolation, loneliness and disconnection from nature.
Read on to hear how these projects are improving health and wellbeing, helping to connect local people to the beautiful surroundings at Chiswick House & Gardens Trust and strengthening our community.
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 across the Borough to those who need it the most. Participants from the Rivercourt Project joined artists from Kite Studios to take part in another six-week project, imagining well-known fairy tales in our gardens to produce charming works of art.
We welcomed back individuals from C-Change West London and local Chef Manju Malhi for the much-loved ‘Cooking at Chiswick’ workshops. These give participants the confidence to cook tasty, healthy meals using simple fresh ingredients and seasonal produce from the Kitchen Garden.
February
As the days got longer, we 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 school year.
Our Wellbeing Walks, led by our experienced CHGT Volunteer Jennie Figaro, also commenced, taking place every Tuesday all year round. 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. After a winter 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.
March
In spring we had our firstly monthly Hounslow Veterans Cafe. Led by Hounslow Council, these provide an opportunity for the ex-military community to come together and tackle isolation.
Likewise 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. We also ran pilots of our developing Schools Programme ‘Growing Green’ with students from Belmont Primary School, in partnership with Hackney School of Food, using the Kitchen Garden to learn about plants and growing food.
April
We began April by hosting an Easter themed play session for children and families from Skylarks. This was followed by another monthly Veterans Café. We also saw the start of two co-developed gardening projects, led by our Gardening Team. The first of these was the Grains Project in partnership with the Masbro Elders Project and the Deaf Women Ealing Group, exploring the importance of grains as a food source, planting seeds and of course tasting lots of different breads. The second gardening project explored the creative co-creation of a Silent Space in partnership with the ladies from Trinjan and artist Jaimini Patel, to better appreciate the importance of green spaces for quiet contemplation and mental wellbeing.
May
In May we kicked off year 3 of the Black Chiswick through History Project, working with Hogarth Youth & Community Centre, Chiswick School and Start Easy to look more deeply at the history of Chiswick House & Gardens, drawing out local stories that connect us to Black history (scroll down to August to see the co-produced creative outputs). The Deaf Women Ealing Group were also back to take part in a co-developed, nature inspired printing workshop with local Chiswick artist Michelle Noach. Our co-developed projects – Silent Space and the Grains Project – continued, as did the regular Garden Together Wednesdays, with veterans from Stoll housing, helping us in May.
June
Summer saw the beginning of another Growing Wellbeing project with MindFood and new group Southall Black Sisters. Our gardens provided a space for the group to come together, share and grow in gardening confidence.
We enjoyed welcoming the Carers Network back during Carers Week to enjoy a guided tour of the House and a well-deserved tea and cake for local carers. We also welcomed The Positive Movement Project to make use of the beautiful Kitchen Garden to run a new social prescribing project helping to connect people to nature and support their mental and physical wellbeing. Finally, we had another lovely group join us for our Garden Together Wednesdays, this time from Hounslow Adult Services to help us with a variety of gardening tasks in the Kitchen Garden.
July
Students from Cavendish Primary School and William Hogarth Primary School began testing out our new self-led schools resources for the Kitchen Garden. Developed in partnership with Lets Go Outside and Learn, these resources helps students connect with the garden through art, science, history and geography.
Individuals from C-Change West London returned with local chef Manju Malhi, for a another Cooking at Chiswick project, using Kitchen Garden produce to create healthy and affordable meals.
We also welcomed young people from Hounslow Action for Youth to begin their self-led Botanical Women project, focusing on local women of colour who have helped to shape the history of horticulture in Hounslow.
August
With school out for the summer, August saw the launch of our new Flower Feast – Kitchen Garden Trail, designed by local artist Jaixia Blue. This formed part of our larger Summer Programme – Harvesting Connection, curated by Chiswick born artist Ayesha Weekes and exploring the importance of food as a connector across cultures and communities. The House saw the launch of the Black Chiswick through History Project displays, telling the stories of 3 men of African heritage associated with the House in the 18th century. We also welcomed back the mother and toddlers groups from HAAYA, and outdoor learning practitioner Miriam Syed, connecting the group to nature through a variety of creative activities. New partners the Al Mustafa Trust also made full use of the Kitchen Garden to run their own community activity, as did families from Skylarks, using the Kitchen Garden to celebrate summer and create memories.
September
The beginning of Autumn saw the culmination of our summer programme, Harvesting Connection, with a celebration of food and community, set around a beautiful crafted communal table, designed and built by Ayesha & Mark Weekes. The start of the school year saw the return of students from Queensmill School assisting the Kitchen Garden Team with seasonal tasks. We also began two new donation partnerships with local charities The Upper Rooms and The Mulberry Centre, sharing Kitchen Garden produce and flowers.
We hosted another monthly Hounslow Veterans Cafes for the local ex-military community. Finally, we welcomed the Hounslow Older Peoples Festival, led by the Hounslow Seniors Trust, to a tour of Chiswick House.
October
After a summer break, we welcomed back the Masbro Elders Project and the Deaf Women Ealing Group for the final Grains Project workshop, enthusiastically threshing and grinding wheat grains grown in the Kitchen Garden to make our own tasty flatbreads. Students from William Hogarth Primary School continued testing out the new self-led schools resources for the Kitchen Garden. We began a new partnership project with Look Ahead, who provide support for young care leavers, working in collaboration with local artists Art Jar to create space and time for creativity. Finally we welcomed the wonderful elders from the West London Ghanaian Association to explore the Black Chiswick through History Project with Local Historian Nadege Forde-Vidal and artist Ayesha Weekes to create work that celebrates their West African heritage.
November
As the days got shorter and colder, creativity became the focus of activity. Participants from the Rivercourt Project joined artists from Kite Studios to take part in another creative and nature inspired project. Local outdoor practitioner Mind Roots continued to offer monthly nature inspired mindfulness sessions to local families in the gardens. We began an exciting new partnership with Afghanistan & Central Asian Association, welcoming participants and Afghan artists to use the Kitchen Garden for inspiration, while learning more about their traditional arts and crafts. Finally, participants from the Masbro Elders Project joined local printmaker and artist Neera Sehgal to explore Indian Woodblock printing, inspired by autumnal colours and shapes to create their own designs.
December
As the end of the year neared, many of our projects were coming to a finish, ready to be picked up in the New Year. The last Cooking at Chiswick session with individuals from C-Change West London cooked up something festive with local chef Manju Malhi. Likewise, we celebrated the last session of the Growing Wellbeing project with MindFood and new group Southall Black Sisters. Students from Cavendish Primary School came to lend a helping hand with the Letting the Light in project, to improve biodiversity in our woodland areas, while the last Garden Together Wednesdays sessions with students from Queensmill School and our regular Veterans group from Stoll housing, took on a festive angle.
Thank you to all our community groups, group leaders, artist and facilitators, we look forward to working with you in 2025!
The last word of the year should go to our community partner, who sum up how we also feel. Thank you for being part of our community at Chiswick House & Gardens Trust. We looking forward working with you all throughout 2025.
Thank you to you all for making the Community Project such a rewarding and valuable experience. Our Veterans benefit hugely from their visits, and I know our numbers attending will increase next season.
We’re so privileged to be a part of what Chiswick House can offer to the community and look forward to working with you all next year and beyond.
– STOLL
With thanks to
