Islington
Whilst our director, James Engel, working with Jake Edgerly, are working up a sensitive design for the redevelopment of 1-7 Godson Street, the land has been turned into a sustainable Nomadic Garden by Andie Scott and the students of New River College.
The site which has been used for the odd market trollies for the last 15+ years and filled with rubbish was purchased collectively by 7 local people to develop into workshops, apartments and housing to help regenerate the chapel market area. These local people have loaned the land to the garden until next year, free of charge. Since April, over 20 local community volunteers have helped clear the derelict site and get the project up and running.
The garden is in it’s early days but the students have been engaging in making fantastic mural boards for it of an exceptionally high standard. They are successionally sowing leaf vegetables and herbs to sell to Moro’s restaurant in Exmouth Market who are helping the garden work towards being sustainable. The project is also starting to recycle local food waste from restaurants and cafes to turn into compost to sell.
The garden is on wheels so that each year it moves to a new location which is waiting for redevelopment. The idea is that the nomadic garden really is nomadic. Students that become interested in horticulture when they leave college will be assisted with practical training courses and grant funding.
Mayor Mouna Hamitouche came to open the project for the KS4 students and the local community on 18th July. The day proved to be a fun filled with information, games and gardening for volunteers. More local residents are becoming involved in the Nomadic Garden and cafes are able to recycle their vegetable waste in the composting system and wormery that has been set up. The development of the site is very important to the regeneration of Chapel Market and Spaced Out are actively involved in seeing the transition sensitively achieved.
