Tree-planting success for Stamford Hill Estate community group
Tree-mendous: primary school pupils get digging. Photograph: FOSH
Schoolchildren, a police officer and even Hackney’s mayor pulled up their sleeves to help plant trees on Stamford Hill Estate last weekend.
Community group Friends of Stamford Hill (FOSH) won funding from Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and Southern Housing last year to spruce up the block with 21 saplings.
The fresh greenery will reduce air and noise pollution on the estate, which is right next to the busy A10 road.
After waiting months for the plans to be fleshed out, FOSH member and planting organiser Zoë Herron Coleman said it was “so exciting” to see them finally come to fruition.
She said: “The new planting has surprised us as it’s had an immediate effect on bringing birds and animals into the estate.
“We’ve seen a noticeable increase in wildlife, with squirrels inquisitively climbing the new trees, bumble bees hovering around recently planted flowers, and robins, blackbirds and crows all dropping in.”
Community support: PCSO Jawara pitches in. Photograph: FOSH
Zoë described the planting sessions, which started last Friday and finished on Sunday, as a “real community project”.
Pupils from nearby Jubilee Primary School, local community support officer Mamadi Jawara and even Mayor of Hackney Philip Glanville picked up a spade and got stuck in.
Zoë added: “The best part has been hearing the neighbours’ reactions. A resident of Cotswold House came over to say she can’t wait to come and relax amongst the trees with a cup of tea at lunch time.”
A resident who works for the ambulance service told FOSH he was looking forward to enjoying a beer by the trees in the summer, and others are already talking about creating a vegetable patch.
Zoë said: “This is exactly what we were hoping for – the community really taking ownership of this space and using it.”
New look: the (almost) finished garden. Photograph: FOSH
The tree-planting is just the first phase of FOSH’s master plan to make Stamford Hill “London’s best eco estate”.
Zoë added: “We are currently waiting to hear whether we have won a bid for funds to plant up an old shipping container used on the estate to store furniture people are binning with herbs, fruit and flowers.
“And we are developing a plan for organising waste better, as this is one of the biggest problems we face here.”
The group has already helped set up an allotment, as well as the estate’s Peace and Wellbeing garden, which is often used to host community get-togethers.
If you would like to find out more about Friends of Stamford Hill, or get involved, please contact the team at foshgardens@gmail.com or through the Facebook page