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TWCP x Barking Food Forest at The Wilds Launch

Over 400 local residents attended the Wilds at Barking Riverside Launch on Saturday 24th July! It was encouraging to have staff members and trustees from Thames Ward Community Project attend throughout the day, to support our talks on the Barking Food Forest Project, and also an overview about the work of TWCP. We were also thrilled to get residents involved in our mapping exercise, which saw them write down issues and ideas for solutions surrounding health and wellbeing.

Barking Food Forest Talk

Nikhil Rathore, Barking Food Forest Team Lead, kicked off the launch festival with a talk about the anticipated project and updated local residents on the upcoming workshop. 

The Barking Food Forest is a local community gardening project, based in Barking Riverside. It will be a space for residents of all ages to grow, learn and socialise together, whilst supporting the biodiversity of the local area.

He highlighted the key milestones of the story so far, including: the YCAG campaign for the site, co-design sessions with students and local residents, the strimming and ground penetrating radar scan of the grounds, and the Pavilion Project – with students from Riverside School working in partnership with Make:Good design firm to design a pavilion that will go on the site.

Lastly, the team were excited to share the news of our upcoming Planter Build Workshop:

Date: Saturday 7th August 2021

Time: 12pm to 2pm

Location: at the Wilds Ecology Centre

Talking Thames - Thames Ward Community Project Talk

Jamie Kesten, Rahela Begum, and Zainab Jalloh were supported by Emmanuel Oreyeni who shared on his experience with TWCP and how he has developed his art career. It was encouraging to see so many local residents attend the talk and share on their own passions surrounding the arts, health and skills.

What is The Wilds Ecology Centre?

The Wilds is an amazing ecology centre and community space for the public in Barking Riverside! It is a space for growing, playing, eating and sharing. A place for co-working and developing new skills. The Wilds is designed and managed by Barking Riverside Limited (BRL), and includes a coffee shop called GROUNDED, brought to you by Coffee:Works, a new co-operative business created by Every One Every Day and a group of local people. The space also hosts workshops, exhibitions, and special events. 

You can also co-work from The Wilds, hire the space for making, growing, and learning, and take advantage of other membership offers.

Find out more: https://thewildsbarkingriverside.london/whats-happening/

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Barking Food Forest Update: Vegetation Cut, and GPR Scan Complete!

Resident steering group member; Nikhil Rathore, was able to prepare the grounds for a ground penetrating radar scan to be completed, with support from TWCP, a local resident and Thames View Community Garden.

The vegetation was cut back by the team, and next steps will include building raised beds on the site. The team hopes for Barking Food Forest to be open to residents in due time.

Community Wellbeing Event: Creating Connections, Building Resilience

The Event

The Community Wellbeing event brought together TWCP staff and steering group members, staff and volunteers from the Red Cross, local residents, and health and wellbeing professionals to listen and comment on related topics. The event also provided an opportunity for a general update on TWCP and the Red Cross’s work for interested residents and partners. It was particularly beneficial that the event consisted of a good mixture of different groups and organizations, which reflected the diversity of the Thames Ward and wider Barking area.

Lai Ogunsola introduced the theme of ‘the new normal, working from home and the importance of social connections’ within the context of lockdown and social isolation. The discussion extended to the wider group and practical examples were shared with regard to how people cared for their mental health.

The evening continued with a recital from local spoken word performer Romeo Murisa and a music set by TWCP Co-Chair and DJ Josiah. The spoken word piece was biographic and touched upon many self-reflective themes evoked by the pandemic, social isolation and offered some thoughts on wellbeing. The music set was a light-hearted compilation of the participants favourite songs that had been shared during the introductions earlier.

Participants were then able to choose from a selection of four breakout room sessions: the first led by award winning artist Laura from At Gallery CIC who presented the work of Joshua Lance focusing on the importance of art in health; the second breakout room was led by Natalia from Early Years Cocoon and was centered on simple exercises to deal with uncertainty in our lives; the third room was led by Amtul from Community Health Champions to promote Health Champions, Covid-19 vaccinations and mental health; the last breakout room was led by Katherine from the British Red Cross, which was about building resilience and wellbeing, where themes of engagement, awareness and cooperation were considered, in order to build community to prevent disaster. 

The Impact

Opportunity was given to share clubs and social groups with each other to widen options for safe social interactions during and after lockdown. Links were shared to activities such as: LBBD volunteering opportunities, local artists’ work, community hubs such as the Bromley By Bow Centre, early years support, TWCP events and health groups, links to events on black leadership, relevant articles, music, digital classes for adults, wellbeing and loneliness support, and sports clubs.

Participants who spoke up during the event stated that they enjoyed the workshop as a fun, interactive forum to engage with relevant local issues.

I thought it was a well rounded event where we were able to promote collaboration and I’m looking forward to where this leads. I thought it was particularly successful because the event was not just about promoting collaboration within the exercises in the event, but building trust and relationships that can endure through lockdown and afterwards. I think a lot of trust has been built, showing that we value the ideas and contributions of residents, and of our partners.

Josiah Oyekunle, Co-Chair and Resident Steering Group Member

I really enjoyed the event and thought it went very well. I think having breakout rooms was a good idea since it gave people the opportunity to go in depth on topics.

Romeo Murisa, Spoken word performer

Really excellent event!

Dan Hopewell

Creative Wellness Ladies Cycling and Walking Club Resume Sessions

Khushnood Ahmed, Resident Steering Group Member and Member of the TWCP Health and Wellbeing Citizen Action Group, runs a number of fitness and wellness clubs through her initiative Creative Wellness.

Creative Wellness is passionate about community wellness. It’s a space for women to feel excited and empowered, to expand their knowledge, and to be equipped with the action steps and resources needed to live a healthier life.

Cycling Club

Start date: April 2021

Complete the membership form via this link: Cycling Club – Creative Wellness

Bikeability training is being provided on two dates:

Saturday 17th April – Level 1 (Riverside Cycle Hub)

Saturday 24th April – Level 2 (Riverside Cycle Hub)

General club rides are every weekend, Saturday 10-12pm, departing from Rivergate centre, Barking IG11 0FJ, to suit all abilities.

A bicycle, lock, helmet, and cycling jacket can be provided to members dependent on availability.

Walking Club

Start date: 5th April 2021

Complete the membership form via this link: Walking Club – Creative Wellness

The club walks different routes every week Monday 10-11am, departing from Rivergate centre, Barking. IG110FJ.

Members are provided with a fit fitness tracker watch to monitor their step count. The weekly challenge is to do 10,000 steps or more to win the weekly prize draw for the vouchers of your choice.

You can complete the challenge in a week with the other members or with your family at your own pace.

Why get active?

During the first lockdown I felt there was a need in the community for women, whilst adhering to government guidelines, to make new friends, get involved in a sport or activity that would provide positive health outcomes, especially mental health. The project was well received by the girls and women of Thames Ward. We now have a WhatsApp group where our cycling and walking club ladies interact with each other. The clubs are a success as through them residents have formed friendships, as well as better mental and physical health!

Khushnood Ahmed

YCAG regular Anna excels as part of Inclusive Leadership Programme

TWCP has recently supported young people it works with as part of the Unified Action Programme, which aims to promote shared values among people of all backgrounds through sustainable social integration and meaningful civic participation. The programme has been designed to promote understanding and shared values between and within faith and ethnic communities, and other communities, which form a part of civil society.

The focus is on supporting young people aged 14-25 years old to become Unified Action Ambassadors, inclusive leaders who focus on empowering future generations; connecting communities by promoting understanding and shared values; achieving greater diversity in the governance of sport and broader civil society; standing united against all forms of hate and most importantly giving young people a platform to have their views heard by decision makers. It is delivered jointly by Youth Sport Trust, Sporting Equals and 2-3 Degrees and funded by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Unified Action Ambassadors believe in a society where no one feels excluded, left behind or that they are just standing on the side lines.

Jamie from TWCP has been running the Young Citizen Action Group (YCAG) at Riverside School since TWCP first began back in late 2017 and Anna, one of the Unified Action programme participants, has been one of the most committed members, attending almost every session since she first joined Riverside School in Year 7. He commented:

“It’s been great to have Anna involved as part of this programme. She attended all of the online training sessions in the evening and was confident enough to speak in front of all of the programme attendees at the final celebration event. I’ve seen Anna’s confidence and leadership skills skyrocket during her time on the programme. She has recorded video messages to local community groups, to the entire student body of her school and taken proactive steps in meeting with Riverside Primary School parents to help promote involvement in the new Barking Food Forest site next to Riverside Campus”.

Jamie Kesten, Senior Community Organiser (Thames Ward Community Project)

As one of the youngest participants in the programme Anna was particularly impressive in the strides she took as an inclusive leader and the confidence and passion she has shown, which has been noted by her athlete mentor, Vernon Samuels, a former Olympic Triple Jumper:

It’s been an absolute pleasure to connect with Anna as her Athlete Mentor and as the youngest young leader involved in the Unified Action programme. Anna wasn’t intimidated by the fact that the age spread of participants went all the way to 25 year olds! Nor was she daunted by a lack of peer support when the two other young people involved in the programme as part of the Thames Ward Community Project were unable to continue.

Anna has shown week after week of the programme a steely resilience and determination that shows she is a young leader on a mission to improve the quality of life for her community – and especially for the pupils of her local primary school where Anna’s hard work and influence as a leader will facilitate access and engagement with the new Barking Food Forest, ensuring it is an inclusive and accessible space for members of the primary school and their families to enjoy along with the wider community.

Despite tight deadlines and a big to do list, Anna refuses to be intimidated by the size of the task at hand. With her humble and articulate approach, Anna draws on available support and expertise to help carry forward her dream of the community garden space into reality.

Vernon Samuels, Athlete Mentor & Ambassador for the Unified Action Programme

Positive feedback from Barking Food Forest co-design sessions

Barking Food Forest is a new community gardening project in Barking Riverside that will benefit local children, young people, families and wider residents of all ages.

The Barking Food Forest will be next to the Riverside Campus. It is a great location that boasts part of the nearby Thames Estuary, in which Brackish water species live. It will also provide a much needed community green space, which is lacking in Thames Ward due to being cut off by the A13.

The Event

The Barking Food Forest co-design sessions were opportunities for TWCP staff, resident steering group member; Nikhil Rathore, and local residents to come together and hear the plans and vision for the forthcoming Barking Food Forest. Most importantly, local residents were also invited to share their views and suggestions on what they desired to be a part of the garden. Particularly, residents were able to give input on what plants they would like to grow, what features the shared garden space should include and what activities they would like to enjoy in the space.

Nikhil Rathore introduced the project as a “community effort” and explained the permaculture approach that would be adopted. He stated that the food forest would be a space that was permanent; sustaining itself and regenerating nature, and pointed out a few principles such as catching and storing energy. Local residents were then invited to introduce themselves and share what their favourite nature spot was.

The session continued with Nikhil providing more detail as to the structure of a food forest; a garden system design that has multiple layers. He named seven layers that would be incorporated into the garden (canopy, lower tree-level, shrub layer, herbaceous layer, soil surface, root layer, vertical layer), and their benefits, such as weed protection.

Local residents were then told of the progress of the project so far, which included:

– Campaigning: YCAG’s winning campaign for the site of the food forest.

– Co-designing: YCAG and other students from Riverside campus informed the initial food forest design. Sessions with local residents.

– Preparatory infrastructure works are currently taking place. 

The session ended with a collaborative Jamboard where everyone shared their ideas on the themes of a garden and forest, what plants and features they would like to see, and aspects of the project people were most passionate about.

 

The Impact

The sessions were well attended by local residents. Residents found it empowering to know that their ideas would be incorporated into the design of the garden site and the activities to be held there.

Loving it! Planting something, being surrounded by nature! I’ll be there!”

Steff

Really excited about the prospect of a community garden as I used to have an allotment. It'll be nice to have something were lots of people are involved!

Emilda

The enthusiasm and honest opinions from the local residents were well received and would be vital to the continuing progress of the project.

We really need a communal space for the community to be able to engage with each other after lockdown.

Helen

Next Steps

The updated design will be shared with the community, reflecting the input from both the local residents and student co-design sessions. 

In person gardening sessions will be announced as soon as soon as national restrictions allow.

If you would like to join in gardening activities please complete the form below and/or follow TWCP social media channels.

– Weekly sessions (x2 hours): Midweek evenings, designing regenerative garden systems. 

– Monthly sessions (x3 hours): Weekend daytime sessions, guest expert visits, intergenerational sessions.

How To Get Involved

If you would like more information about the Barking Food Forest, please complete the form below.

TWCP 3 Year Continuation Funding Granted!

Thames Ward Community Project has been successful in applying for 3-year continuation funding from the Lottery Reaching Communities fund! This critical investment will support us to continue, consolidate and secure our project in the long term.

Our long-term vision is a Charitable Development Trust (CDT) that is financially secure; dependent upon a diverse variety of revenue streams, and sustainable. We envisage establishing a community hub that will provide a place for residents in Thames Ward to socialise, engage with local projects and access services. We also hope to have a lead role in place shaping and developing social businesses with Barking Riverside Limited, an opportunity that will develop local skills and connections.

How we hope to make a difference?

Our approach is transformational because it puts power into the hands of the people. Its about creating a CDT that is functional but most importantly resident-led. This resident-led activity functions through thematic action groups, which has led to new initiatives, emerging social businesses, and increased levels of collaboration.  We want to continue to nurture these ‘wins’ to establish sustainability.

Why is it necessary?

Thames Ward is especially vulnerable to the impact of COVID-19 that has given way to a national health and economic crisis. There is a great need to build resilience and wellbeing. Also, the area is the site for one of the biggest developments in London and the country.  With changes happening at a rapid pace, this is a critical time for residents,  bringing significant opportunities to shape and engage in the future development of their area.

One of the main challenges in Thames Ward and Barking Riverside is that there is little social infrastructure and a lack of space for community activity.  TWCP plays a critical role in providing a connectedness, access to resources, and influence to help the community engage with key stakeholders on their own terms.

TWCP has already shown, opportunities can be taken, new initiatives can take hold and communities can have a real voice, influence and participate in key decisions.

How Thames Ward residents feel?

The residents we work with are very positive about the project, highlighting our unique way of giving ownership back to the people.

Residents are now actively discussing how they can lead the future growth of the area, including via our 4 Growth Summits, work on a Resident Charter and internally via training accessed from Locality, ELBA, London Sport, Model City and many others.

We are excited to continue to reach more of the residents in Thames Ward, who in turn will empower sustainable change in the community!

Installation of tap for Thames View Community Garden with TWCP support

Since the acquiring of the Community Garden site, and obtaining £2000 funding from the London City Airport Community Fund, Thames View Community Garden (TVCG) members had been facing difficulties acquiring an essential water connection.

Our existence is dependent on the water.

Sabbir, TVCG Member

The site was to offer local people the opportunity to get involved in community gardening and to provide learning opportunities for those keen to learn how to grow their own fruits and vegetables, but the vision was dependent on acquiring a running water connection.

Initially, the Community Garden was being provided running water by Thames View Infant School but this was not able to continue long term. TVCG also looked at alternative solutions such as water harvesting but this was not adequate to water the whole garden.

TWCP began supporting TVCG members by supporting in the discussions with the Sue Bramley Centre and Essex Water. An agreement was reached with a water connection provided through the Sue Bramley Centre to the Community Garden, to be funded by the monies received, and so a tap was finally installed in the garden in 2020.

Impact

Having a tap installed has been critical to the survival of the Community Garden. The plants need to be regularly watered to grow and being able to rely on its on water connection TVCG can be sustained long term.

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Love Gardening? Get Involved!

Thames View Community Garden is currently cared for by 13 committed members who meet every two months. If you would like to get involved or make a donation please email communitygardensecretary@gmail.com.

TVCG hope to meet this summer to grow more produce and connect with residents.

Local families receive laptops thanks to TWCP, BD Citizens, and London City Airport

The pandemic has brought with it many challenges for communities and with schools closed and students expected to attend lessons online it became clear, through meeting with members of the Senior Leadership Team at Riverside School, just how serious the issue of digital exclusion is locally. We heard that many families with children attending Riverside School simply did not have the devices necessary for children to learn from home. In response, and with the support of local Barking & Dagenham Citizens organiser Frankie Webster, a JustGiving page was created to help to raise funds for this worthy cause (https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/bdcitizensdigitalexclusion).

We are very pleased to announce that as a result of the partnership between TWCP, Riverside School and Barking & Dagenham Citizens – and with support from the East London Business Association (ELBA) a generous donation of 26 chromebook laptops has been made by London City Airport. The laptops were received on Friday 19th February and within a week have been distributed to local families in need. 

There are still other local families in need of support so please do share and visit the Just Giving page to help to tackle the Digital Exclusion facing many in Barking & Dagenham.

This story is a wonderful result for all involved and a great example of what is possible when local community organisations are connected and work together to solve local issues.

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Director Blog – February 2021

Welcome to our first ever Director Blog!

Although we are now in our third lockdown we’ve managed to continue our work, via online resident-led activities and partnership working with the British Red Cross, NHS, LBBD and BRL among others.  At some point the pandemic will ease and we are ready to ensure not only that there is resilience and recovery but a platform for residents to take more control of their local area.

Since October 2017 when we started our Lottery funded journey we’ve covered a lot of ground – the pinnacle of which has been to create a resident-led Community Development Trust (CDT) aka Thames Life, with exclusively local people as trustees.  That feels good.  To know that we have been able to start a project from scratch – Thames Ward Community Project – initially with the support of Riverside School as host (accountable body) and in less than three years create a new organisation run by local people, to go alongside the activities and campaigns we have been able to deliver that have brought in over £1m of investment for local projects and services.  The challenge for us now is to make it sustainable over the longer term so that the community has a resource that will last for generations.

We are working on our governance, our funding and our social business model to ensure the value we create together through resident-led activity becomes a permanent feature in uncertain times, an anchor organisation that supports others, convenes and makes things happen so everyone can win and truly, no resident is left behind.

Finally thanks to all those we’ve worked with and who’ve supported us and a special welcome to Zainab, our new Communications and Outreach Officer and local resident, who has put our newsletter together to help us showcase the work of TWCP and the residents we work with. We want to ensure resident projects, ideas and voices are promoted far and wide so watch this space!

Matt Scott

TWCP Director

Subscribe to the Thames Life monthly newsletter!
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Thames View Office
Thames Community Hub
(previously Sue Bramley)
Bastable Avenue
Barking
IG11 0LH

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Copyright © 2023 Thames Life Community Development Trust. Thames Life CDT is a registered charity in England & Wales (1189743).

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