Updates
It’s been a while since we last updated you about our project, but we have been busy developing ideas for designs for the front of the new wooden planters. We love the apple pictured here, designed by Kiera Brown, who is a Year 12 student at Logic Studio School in Feltham. Her design references the large number of local market gardens that grew fruit, vegetables and flowers for Londoners, including the ‘Feltham Beauty’ apple. Keira is studying art and hopes to go to university to study illustration and animation. Her ambition is to be a designer and illustrator, perhaps eventually designing logos and album covers. For our project she will be working with local artist Nadine Fletcher on designs for the nine planters.
We have been busy gathering ideas for what to carve on our new oak planters and would like to thank everyone who sent suggestions to us. We received loads of great ones and our selection panel has chosen the following themes and ideas for the front of the planters. We are now working with local students to create the designs. In the meantime, Hounslow Men's Shed is busy making a prototype planter, to make sure it will fit securely onto the railings and is the appropriate size. CRESTS/COATS OF ARMS: Feltham MoD; Middlesex County; Sir Admiral Keyes THEMES: Remembrance Day e.g. poppies; WW1 soldier/s THEME: Transport e.g. Planes (General Aircraft manufactured WW2 planes in Victoria Road and Heathrow is a large local employer); Trains - (railway line came to Feltham in 1848 and the town changed dramatically as a result); Cars (Aston Martins were built in Feltham); Trams (trams were built in Feltham, including one of the most important models known as the ‘Feltham’) THEME: Feltham’s market gardens e.g. A.W Smith (‘cabbage king’ and grower of Feltham First pea); H. Veitch (Feltham Beauty apple); A.H Moss (grew and exported one million roses annually) THEME: Old Feltham pubs e.g. Cricketers, Locomotive, Prince of Wales, Queen’s Arms, Railway Hotel, Railway Tavern, Rose & Crown, Sawyer’s Arms, White Lion, William IV THEME: Events on Feltham Green e.g. Carnivals and fun fairs THEME: Feltham’s farms e.g. Horses, sheep, pigs; Blaize, Brook, Feltham, Holly and Sparrow farms THEME: Fires and Feltham e.g. The great fire of 1634 (most of Feltham village was destroyed); Blaize farm (named so because the fire was thought to have started there); Feltham’s first fire fighting vehicle was unveiled on the Green in 1907; Minimax (manufactured fire extinguishers and remains of the factory now an Art Deco landmark near Minimax Corner)
The panel that will choose which ideas will be carved onto the fronts of our new oak planters are really pleased with the many, fantastic suggestions we have received so far. Please let us have yours by Friday 16 April, which is also when we will close our crowd-funding campaign. People have been so generous with their support and its been lovely to exchange personal messages with some of you. This will be our final Spacehive posting but please continue to keep in touch via Facebook or [email protected] ps If you live locally and have graphic design skills, please get in touch - we may need your help!
We are gathering ideas about what to carve onto the fronts of the new oak planters to represent Feltham past and present. Suggestions so far include: poppies; the family crest of Admiral of the Fleet, Sir Roger Keyes, who unveiled the War Memorial by the Green on the High Street; references to Feltham’s history of market gardening. We are keen to gather as many suggestions as possible from people who have pledged to our crowdfunding campaign and/or who have a local connection, so please let us have your ideas. A small panel, led by the Friends of Feltham Green’s Chair, Angela Parton, will make the final choice. The planters will be made and carved during the summer, in time for planting up in the autumn. You can contact the Friends of Feltham Green by emailing us at [email protected] We would love to hear from you. The deadline for making suggestions is April 16 2021. ps If you know anyone who was planning to make a pledge – it isn’t too late! We will be closing the crowdfunding campaign on 16 April and pledges can be made on the Spacehive platform until then. Thank you!
You will have seen the wonderful news that the Mayor of London has pledged to Flourishing Feltham Green, for which we are truly grateful. Thanks to everyone’s generosity, we have not only reached our original fundraising target, we have raised more than we had initially hoped. The additional funds will be spent on buying more mature plants for immediate impact, and for seasonal planting and bulbs, to provide year-round interest in the new planters. Our next priority will be to create a gravel feature in the 19th century water trough on the Green, which we will plant up with drought tolerant plants. The gravel relates to the many extraction pits that used to be located in Feltham and the planting references the impact of climate change. The latest research indicates that the series of droughts and heatwaves in Europe since 2014 is the most extreme for more than 2,000 years. We also plan to re-etch the dedication on the side of the trough. Any remaining funds will be used to renew planting around Feltham Pond. The Friends of Feltham Green have felt so encouraged by all the support we have received from individuals and local businesses – both in terms of pledges and heart-warming comments. We will post regular updates about the project’s progress and look forward to the planters being installed and ready for the Remembrance Day service in November. We can’t thank you enough for all you have done to help Feltham Green flourish.
Brilliant news, thanks everyone!
