Brent Council has agreed a localised approach to tackling the climate emergency and will be investing resources into neighbourhoods that will make a visible difference to communities and help reach net zero carbon emissions in Brent by 2030.

 

Harlesden Neighbourhood Forum and partners Forest and Family received small grants from Groundwork London and Brent Council for cleaning up and enhancing the unused space surrounding Roundwood Park Lodge Café, transforming it into a welcoming community space and edible garden with new a water harvesting and composting system. By co-designing with residents and partners we are creating a wildlife-friendly environment with multipurpose facilities where people can engage in conservation activities.

Roundwood Park is the largest green space in Harlesden ward and serves 19,000 inhabitants. It lacks the infrastructure to accommodate residents' different needs. The space at the back of the cafe consists of a garden, part of which is inaccessible due to mixed waste left from the previous leasee and a fenced outdoor workshop space (formerly a garden centre) with three small containers/sheds that were in need of refurbishment. The space also has access to and from the from the park annexe.

What's happening:

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• Establishment of a multi-purpose, eco-friendly education and community edible garden space

• Light exterior works to the old garden centre area

• Removal of mixed waste sitting in the main garden

• Building edible garden(including soft fruit bushes blueberry and raspberry)

• Planting fruit threes

• Adding a rainwater harvesting system used to water plants in the springtime and summer

• Building a compost area. A system for the cafe to compost vegetable and fruit peelings as a source of free

• compost to educate children on the natural process of food waste to nourish and regenerate the soil. (Blueberries need a special kind of compost called ericaceous compost)

• Providing the existing Community Engagement Ambassadors training and support on gardening, building and upcycling to refurbish the site

• Harvesting and celebrating

Programme of community education workshops:

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• Talks - gardening, building, upcycling

• Permanent gardening for pollinator clubs

• Eco-therapy

• Climate awareness and resilience

• Urban greening

• Community growing

• Horticulture

• Green architecture