Local Food Project: Growing In Haringey

From Growing in Haringey:

Let’s grow together – more local food for health, soul and natureHelp Growing in Haringey so we can help you!

Growing in Haringey was set up in 2010 to provide support and co-ordination for the many community gardening and sustainable food growing projects in this borough – and to promote the huge environmental, health and social benefits they create. A key aim is to increase local food production across all corners of Haringey, involving the whole population – including in home gardens, schools, public parks and open spaces. To do this effectively, we need to be able to show the number of people and projects working on these lines here in Haringey, and show that you are backing GIH and what it stands for. There are two simple ways that you can show your support, and help us work more effectively for you (and a simple response form below):

1. Registering as an affiliate to GIH: by formally registering as part of the GIH network, you enable us to show just how many organisations, projects and individuals are gardening up neighbourhoods, growing food and supporting nature – the more we speak for, the more weight and influence you give to our arguments and campaigning with the Council and others about the importance of your activities and what they should be doing to help us all.
   
    
2. Contributing to GIH funds: Could your project or organisation give even just £10 a year towards our work – perhaps a share from a plant sale or other (GIH benefit?) event you run? This will help give us an independent basic income to keep core services running – and being able to show this match funding is important when we ask for funding from other sources. Any donations, however small, will help us!

What GIH does and what the network offers you:

At present, GIH is run by a very small organising committee of volunteers, all of us also involved in local projects as well as finding time to develop GIH to meet the need for an effective borough-wide information-sharing, networking, support and advice body. The basic core services we currently offer you are:-

1. E-mail newsletter: about events, resources, and other news related to community and food growing – please use it to publicise your activities, advertise for volunteers, etc. We have over 700 people on our mailing list – many of whom pass it on to their local networks. Send information for inclusion to info@growingingharingey.org.uk – the aim is for this to come out monthly, once we are back on our feet.
   
    
2. Website where you can advertise your project and events in our ‘what’s on’ calendar, and look for local information.
   
    
3. GIH Google group, which anyone can join (sign up at the web-site): use it to ask for advice, swap plants, seeds and tools; and share skills and ideas….
   
    
4. A channel to influence Haringey Council – GIH has been represented on the Food Strategy Working Group, the 40/20 initiative steering group, and the stakeholder group advising the development of Wolves Lane Plant Centre. We are in a good position to lobby for the community garden movement.
   
    
5. Community gardening stalls at local festivals and fairs, etc, over the summer – these are opportunities for you to reach more people, network and advertise, raise money by selling plants. We also run an annual Seed Swap in early spring.
   
    

We know there is so much more needed – we are busy applying for grants to pay for at least a small amount of reliable core work, and to develop specific outreach support for schools and health-related gardening projects. Last summer, a small grant from Capital Growth let us pay for a just couple of days a month work responding to inquiries and producing a monthly newsletter, but this invaluable help has now ended. We know many of you are putting huge amounts of time and work into your own gardening and other community projects. But if you would be interested in getting more involved with GIH, we’d love to hear from you. See our web-site for how to get involved, or phone us on 07407 093150.

Please do register to show your support for Growing in Haringey, and if you can, please, send us some money SOON (target £10 per project or group).

From GIH Committee: Anne Gray, Judith Hanna, Leyla Lakhsari, Abi Hood, Pamela Harling, Jane Silverman, Susan Holtom