A new community garden is planned for Wormwood Scrubs, pending the outcome of a funding bid to the Greater London Authority (GLA). The Wormwood Scrubs Charitable Trust (WSCT), in partnership with Imperial Health Charity, is seeking up to £150,000 from the GLA's 'Green Roots Fund' to create the dedicated growing space, aiming to address patient isolation and improve access to green spaces.
The application aims to establish a community growing/allotment space on the WSCT estate, designed and maintained with input from hospital staff and patients. The Trust is applying for the capital costs and delivery of a 2-year project. If successful, a community operator will be engaged to take operational responsibility for the space and provide engagement sessions for the duration of the project terms. This relationship will be managed via a service level agreement to be drafted and monitored by the Trust Manager.
At a meeting of the Wormwood Scrubs Charitable Trust Committee on Wednesday, Councillor Alex Sanderson, chair of the committee, heard that the WSCT has connected with over 50 different stakeholders. One of the well engaged stakeholders has been the Imperial Health Charity. The WSCT Minutes provide further details of the meeting.
Osama El-Amin, the manager to the Wyrmwood Scrubs Charitable Trust, said the idea came about from addressing some of the isolation that patients feel in the hospital and the lack of access to green space. The idea is that this will be an allocated location where we can grow vegetables and herbs under the tutelage of a hospital gardener.
Should the Green Roots Fund application be unsuccessful, the WSCT will explore alternative funding avenues in partnership with the Imperial Health Charity to ensure the community garden project proceeds.
