Rotherhithe Garden Build & Summer School

The environment

We have transformed an area of land at Surrey Square School, LB Southwark, into a new polytunnel community garden with additional and improved raised planter beds. This is a new permanent space for community gardening, food growing education, DIY and arts and crafts workshops in Southwark.

Volunteering, jobs & education

Edible Rotherhithe provided structured visits for Architecture Summer School students aged 15-21 years to local employers in the architecture, engineering and construction professions and learn about available career paths. We have improved the skills and confidence of over 100 children through food growing, DIY and arts & crafts after-school workshops. We have collaborated with Goldsmiths University, NCS The Challenge and corporate volunteering organisations to develop skills and add value to the workshops tuition and delivery, and to build the community garden & raised beds.

Arts, culture & heritage

Edible Rotherhithe worked in partnership with Public Works, Martinspeed recycling, Engie, Idverde and Hands on London to develop the polytunnel community garden and new raised beds; and with R'Urban, Toodio and Martinspeed recycling to deliver the Architecture Summer School in Rotherhithe where local young people built outdoor furniture for Rotherhithe Primary School. Children at two Primary Schools in Southwark have developed their arts and crafts skills including DIY and printing.

Activity, health and leisure

The polytunnel community garden will provide a space that is friendly, communal and connected, giving the chance to enjoy a new community space and participate in food growing and arts & crafts workshops.