Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Help Harringay Online & Bowes & Bounds Seed a Million Poppies
© Copyright Steve Fareham and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence
Inspired by the Royal British Legion's Centenary Poppy Campaign, Harringay Online & Bowes and Bounds Connected are setting a target to get a million poppies blooming across the borough as a living memorial to the fallen of the Great War from the local community.
The aim is to collect sufficient donations from local people across the borough to buy one million Flanders poppy seeds. Purchased through the Royal British Legion's campaign partners, £1 of every £3.00 pack of 10,000 seeds will go direct to the Royal British Legion.
The seeds will then be packed into convenient community planter envelopes and made available at partner locations around the borough. Anyone can collect seeds for guerrilla or small group planting and we'll also be arranging a few 'Million Poppy' seed sowing events. (Let us know if you'd like one in your area).
When I heard about what the Royal British Legion are doing I felt sure this would work for our area and Liz and Richard seem equally enthusiastic. What do you think? Where should we target in Harringay?
We have a few ducks to get in a row the biggest of which is getting permission from landowners. Liz is coralling some of our local gardening experts and may even base her Spring seed swap around this theme.
After that it's all down to you. Fancy making a donation? The cheapest way is through Harringay Online's Sustainability Account via Paypal. Please be generous. Remember £1.00 in every 3 donated will go straight to the Royal British Legion. The remainder will be used to plant a spectacular living memorial in this centenary year.
Tags for Forum Posts: haringey million poppies
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Hugh on
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.....and I've just spoken with Thames Water who are supportive, but need to investigate a few practicalities (including whether they can make it fit in with their grounds maintenance schedule so that they don't end up with a PR disaster by scything down our poppies!).
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Permalink Reply by Matt on
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Great stuff - we just donated.
Through my grounds maintenance co. we have already planted some on one of sites in Islington and can't wait for them to pop up. We carry out work on the base ball/softball pitches in Finsbury Park, so I will see if they would like any ; )
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Thanks Matt. It's great to have locally based businesses supporting this. Thanks to you and Morton Gamble Gardens.
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Permalink Reply by gilly on
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I am still not clear on the idea you are trying to organise Hugh is BQ providing the seeds? If so they are making a huge profit gaining two pounds per pack... I find this disgusting! They could easily provide it for free... I have approached the local Home Base before for a local growing project for an elderly supported housing growing project I set up and they were not at all helpful not even in providing a few plants as a gesture.
The other project sounds fab! This sounds more in line with a true community project.
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I'm sorry you don't like what Richard, Liz, myself and other of your neighbours are doing, Gilly and I'm afraid I don't understand what you're not clear on.
As far as sourcing the seeds is concerned, in order to make a grass roots initiative happen, the seeds have to come from somewhere. Other projects have chosen to get the seeds from Amazon. I eschewed that option and followed the lead of the Royal British Legion and chose to go with the partners they are working with nationally.
As things develop, it may be that we can get the seeds from elsewhere, in fact my conversations with Haringey Council suggest that other options may be open.
I'm not sure why you think our project isn't "a true community project". We're grass roots, based purely on community support and participation, linking in with Friends groups, the Council, Thames Water, and already have the support of a local MP and local councillors. What's missing as far as you're concerned? Another thing to consider is that if we do this, it WILL happen.
Of course I wish the Hornsey-Muswell Hill project well and we'll be delighted to collaborate with them.
I do hope your comments don't dissuade too many of the uncertain from participating in this initiative which we feel strongly about and could bring pleasure to so many people.
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Permalink Reply by Sharon on
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Hugh, tiverton residents assosiation would love to plant the seeds, we often get the local kids involved in planting projects on the estate. we could make a contribution from our funds.
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That's great, Sharon. Thank you. The more community groups we can get involved the better. I'm keen to make this East and West of the borough. With us and Bowes & Bounds being slap bang on the middle, we look both ways.
With the Council and Thames Water now involved, I imagine the project will begin to get a bot more shape. Groups like yours should play a key role.
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Homes for Haringey will have a full list of contacts for active residents associations.
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Thats not my aim Hugh to dissuade but it is my aim to hopefully raise awareness about big companies still making profits from community and 'charitable' causes, even more frustrating if they get free advertising from it as well and the importance of the heritage of the seed with Monsanto and gmo at the fore.... the importance of organic seeds... to help protect the bees and our wildlife... I am suggesting that perhaps someone could connect with the London Seed Bank an organisation sprouted locally and Sustainable Haringey as there are so many local growing projects that may have idea's for free or more sustainable seed sources and see if they have any idea's and guidance at least.
I am all for the idea and hope that perhaps with Fran and Haringey council on board that you will make a great team that makes this wonderful idea happen.
I didnt say I wasnt happy with what you are doing Hugh, I said I thought it was a great idea but had reservations about the seeds heritage and source thats all, the comment about a true community project was in relation to this.... involving the local projects involved with growing and seed production and gaining there imput and advice...it may not be possible to provide all the seeds but it may be possible to provide some... simply put I would prefer people to buy the seeds from local projects so the money raised could go back into these local community initiatives rather than go to big business like BQ or the local Homebase who were not interested in helping a group of elderly residents who live on there turf. Is this wrong Huge? Am I really against your idea? I would say I am helping to offer more idea's to make it even more community orientated thats all.
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