sustainability+-+Sustainable+Haringey+-+Growing+In+Haringey+3.09

= = =**FOOD GROWERS OF HARINGEY UNITE!**=

** 60 people from over 2 dozen local food-growing projects and organisations hold a successful and historic launch of a new borough-wide network **
 * On Friday 27th March over sixty people of all ages from across the Borough launched a new network to bring together all those who are involved with food-growing projects, and to help those who wish to join this increasingly popular, satisfying and, in today's uncertain world, necessary activity. The celebration followed on from the Tottenham Food Coop (last Friday and Saturday of each month) and the weekly Community Kitchen cook-in (run by environmental charity Back2Earth). It began with twenty people planting the first fruit tree in what will soon be a community garden linking the Broadwater Farm Community Centre with the exciting developments in the neighbouring Lordship Rec, later [below] summarised by Martin Burrows.**

Environmental landscape architect Katrin Bohn presented a wider vision for **urban agriculture**, based on the book by her and Andre Viljoen: Continuous Productive Urban Landscapes. She showed fascinating slides including some from Cuba and Middlesbrough. She was pleased to see the people of Haringey poised to bring to reality the ideas which she and her colleagues have imagined for ten years.

Representatives of over two dozen local groups then listened to descriptions of just a few of the many initiatives already happening and about to begin in Haringey.

Leyla Laksari talked movingly about **Living Under One Sun**, explaining how this food-growing project on the Tottenham marshes has expanded and diversified, involving the local multicultural community and working in partnership with public, voluntary and private organisations. Kathryn Lwin Brookes of **Archway Herbal** introduced the River of Flowers, a project to save wildflowers and preserve biodiversity across north London's inhospitable urban landscape, which threatens the survival of bees and other essential pollinators. Kate Allardyce described her work as co-ordinator of the **"healthy schools" project** involving 60 schools and their gardens across Haringey. Anne Gray talked about the **Tottenham Food Coop** and its potential as a market for locally grown and organic produce. Helen Steel representing the **Haringey Allotments Forum**, the network for the borough's 25 allotment sites of 1,800 food growers, pointed out that the hunger for land was so great that Haringey needed to almost double the number of allotments to meet the demand. In the mean time, community food garden areas in the grounds of housing estates, under-used areas in parks and "forgotten corners" are one answer: Ibi Campbell from the **Tiverton Estate food project**, related how she and her neighbours negotiated the bureaucracy involved in starting up such a project, including consulting and fundraising. Another newly launched initiative is the **Friends of Tottenham Marshes Community Permaculture Garden**, which will run courses and welcome volunteers, like **Naturewise** in the west of Haringey (Plot 21 and the Forest garden).

Later, Cllr Bob Hare described the work of CHADAHS, the long-established **Central Hornsey and District Allotments and Horticultural Society**. Staff from the recently rescued and renamed Wolves Lane Horticultural Centre brought small plants, and said the site wants to play an important and central role in all of Haringey's horticultural and food-growing activities. Martin Burrows, of the **Back To Earth projects**, told of exciting plans for a new City Farm and environmental centre in Lordship Rec, and of the third annual **Tottenham Horticultural Show** planned for the community festival there on September 12th. Dave Morris explained that the **Haringey Federation of Residents Associations** have agreed to encourage local residents groups to support the new network, and help each other to grow more food in their neighbourhoods.####

Finally, Judith Hanna, organiser of the recent highly successful **Seedswap Sunday** at Bruce Castle, outlined the aims and objectives of **Growing in Haringey**, its constitution, how it will operate, and its relationship with other organisations. Skilled growers and teachers are already getting on with the practicalities, and residents are finding new sites in many neighbourhoods.

Large maps of Haringey were coloured in and events calendars created, while participants enjoyed tasty snacks made by members of the Sustainable Haringey food group, food coop apples, fair trade tea and coffee, and healthy juices, and swapped used gardening and cookery books.

To join in send an email to __growinginharingey@blueyonder.co.uk__.

=--= = = Pre-event press release:

=**Growing in Haringey**= Press Statement 22.3.09
 * - Launch Celebration**


 * This week sees the long-awaited launch of an exciting new network linking up all those interested in growing food, in order to increase food production and public awareness of food issues throughout the borough. It is backed by a wide range of community groups and networks (see below).**

[After the Tottenham food coop & community kitchen/cafe 12-4pm] 1 Adams Rd, Tottenham, N17 6HE [by Lordship Recreation Ground]. All welcome! How to get there: Bus W4 to stop in Broadwater Farm estate - walk diagonally to Community Centre. Bus 123 or 243 to Lordship Rec gate - walk into park, then to left
 * Friday 27th March, **** 5pm-8pm **
 * Broadwater Farm Community Centre **

//'It is very exciting bringing together all those involved in growing food throughout Haringey, whether on allotments, in back gardens, indoors, on green spaces or in schools. Its fun, good for the environment, and we're determined to encourage many more to get their fingers dirty! This is all part of a world-wide shift to local sustainability and long term self-sufficiency.'// - Jo Foster, Sustainable Haringey network
 * www.sustainableharingey.org.uk**

§ Find out who's growing what in your neighbourhood. § Meet other growers, discover new projects, learn how to acquire new skills. § Share ideas for new food-growing sites. § Tell others what resources you can offer, and what you need. § Watch presentations about existing projects, and photos and videos. § Enjoy music and food with old and new friends. § Bring and take gardening and cookery books.

Growing in Haringey is a new network of local individuals and groups promoting food growing across Haringey. Supporters include: Sustainable Haringey network; Haringey Allotments Forum; Haringey Federation of Residents Associations; Haringey Friends of Parks Forum; Back To Earth Projects; Tottenham Food Co-operative; Groundwork; Naturwise; Tree Trust for Haringey.... and many other local and borough-wide organisations! We will share information and link people's needs and desires with existing and new projects and schemes.

§ people to join new/existing project? § plot of land for food-growing? § skills, experience, learning, advice? § physical help with private garden? § opportunities while waiting for an allotment? § what's happening in your local neighbourhood?
 * What can you offer? What do you need or desire?**


 * Why not get involved? Everyone can!**

§ To increase the production of sustainable and healthy food in Haringey, by providing opportunities for people to grow their own and by promoting small-scale local producers § To improve access to affordable food by removing barriers that may prevent people having access to good quality food § To promote awareness of the health, community, social and environmental benefits of local food growing and production. § To engage with the diversity of the food and food growing cultures of Haringey’s diverse population, reaching out to and engaging people of different cultures, languages, ethnicities, age groups and abilities § To support the development of food growing and production skills and local enterprise and employment opportunities
 * Growing In Haringey - Aims and objectives**

The initiative arose out of the Sustainable Haringey Food Group, which is a working party dedicated to promoting and campaigning for local sustainable food, including policy, production, supply, distribution and retail. We are working alongside national and London schemes like Landshare and Capital Growth, and collaborating with similar initiatives in neighbouring boroughs.

Contact: **www.sustainableharingey.org.uk**