University of East London: UEL receives London National Park City grant

The University of East London (UEL) community garden in the Royal Docks has won a £1,000 grant from London National Park City. The grant funding will be used to engage and educate the community.

Signage will be installed to provide a community noticeboard and information about the plants in the garden. Boxes with natural sensory textures, including leaves and seeds, will be installed for the special educational needs community, providing information about gardening and nature in an accessible way. New hanging baskets with flowering plants will also be placed near the main walkway alongside the river.

Mimi Cedrone, sustainability manager at UEL, said, “We are delighted to be awarded the London National Park City grant. As a university very much connected with the local community, the aim is to use the funding to let people know about the garden, inspiring UEL students, and getting local people involved with the University and nature on their doorstep.”

After installing the new features, the UEL sustainability team plans to run an autumn gardening event where students, UEL staff, local residents in East London, and children from the nursery on UEL’s Docklands campus can use the space.

Community artist, illustrator and conservationist Matt Ponting, from Doodling Around Ltd, regularly supports the UEL community garden and co-created the new plans for the grant funding. Mr Ponting said, “The signs and flowers will brighten up the area and help people discover this hidden gem in Docklands. The noticeboard will advertise events and volunteering opportunities, including the weekly gardening club, and potential London National Park City events in the garden’s light and airy polytunnel.”