Transition Walthamstow

HEET is recruiting a new energy efficiency installer; this role is part time (3 days per week).

HEET is a not for profit organisation working in the London Boroughs of Waltham Forest and Enfield. We are seeking an energy efficiency installer who is keen to train and supervise others. The job will include fitting loft insulation and draught proofing as well as other handyperson services such as fitting door and window locks.

A commitment to tackling fuel poverty/social exclusion and climate change, a willingness to get stuck in, good communication skills and a clean driving licence are essential. The post holder should possess building skills and will ideally have training experience.

Salary: £16.91 per hour (£18,466 over the year @ 3 days). This is a one year contract to begin with.

Click here for the job description.

Closing date: Tuesday 31^st May 2016 (5.00 pm)

For an application pack:

• Phone 020 8520 1900,
• Email info@theheetproject.org.uk, or
• Download from website: www.theheetproject.org.uk

Organiclea is looking for volunteer support gardeners at Hawkwood Community Plant Nursery to ‘buddy’ other volunteers who have higher support needs.

In its fourth year, Organiclea’s Buddy Scheme trains volunteers to support others to participate in volunteering at Hawkwood Community Plant Nursery.

Organiclea is growing people as well as plants and we are able to welcomes a diversity of volunteers because of the support given by volunteer buddies.  We support volunteers with learning and physical difficulties, language barriers and ill mental health. We value our diverse community, and recognise that working here can bring enormous benefits.

Through the training session and practical experience, the Buddy Scheme will explore:

• ways to create an inclusive atmosphere
• how to make practical activities accessible
• boundaries and safeguarding
• permaculture and people care
• how working in nature and in community can bring therapeutic benefits.

When?

This year, we will run the scheme 3 times, each lasting 12 weeks on the following dates;

• Week Commencing 25^th April – w/c 13^th July (Training on Weds 20^th Apr)
• Week commencing 27^th June – w/c 12^th Sept (Training on Weds 22^nd June)
• Week commencing 29^th Aug – w/c 14^th Nov (Training on Weds 24^th Aug)

There is an option to get involved on either Tuesday’s (1-5pm) or on Wednesday’s (10-5pm with lunch provided) so please specify which day you prefer.

Please note above training dates for each scheme. You must be available to attend this before you begin as a Volunteer Buddy.

After each scheme there are opportunities for buddies to gain more practical experience through continued volunteering at Hawkwood or sessional work on Organiclea’s outreach sites

and in conjunction, take their learning further by enrolling onto a Level 2 Health & Social Care Diploma as offered through Waltham Forest Adult Learning Service.

Interested?

No previous experience required to join– just an enthusiasm for working with people, and an interest in sustainable food systems.

To join or for more information

Contact Farook , 020 8524 4994 or farook@organiclea.org.uk

To apply you will be asked to fill in an application form, including a criminal record disclosure.

The Hornbeam is recruiting a Community Coordinator committed to and excited by our vision of active communities where people have a positive impact on their environment.  Could this be you or someone you know? Please get in touch and pass on!

Community Coordinator: E4

There are two Community Coordinator roles at the Hornbeam. The roles are about:

• Maintaining two community spaces – one in E17 with a community cafe, one in E4 next to a nature reserve.
• Making things happen in these spaces in line with Hornbeam values.
• Managing the relationships between the partners that make up the Hornbeam Group, and partners that we deliver projects with.

How you go about making things happen is often up to you.  These two roles support each other, often overlapping, and work alongside other workers and volunteers working on specific tasks or outreach projects.

We are looking for a Coordinator to work three days a week across two sites, starting from the end of March 2016.  The role includes:

• Working with partners and the E17 Community Coordinator to develop and run events
• Strategic planning linked to our vision and mission
• Developing networks and finding new audiences for events and activities
• Managing budgets and evaluating activities
• Working alongside others to maintain community space, publicise activities and support future fundraising
• Involving and supporting volunteers

More about our values and our partners below, and within the full Job Description and Person Specification.

Interested?

Please complete this short online form,  and send your CV to volunteering@hornbeam.org.uk

We may then ask you to submit a full statement of how you feel you fit the person specification along with other information.

The final deadline for full applications: midnight on March 18th 2016.

Interviews are scheduled for: Monday 21st March 2016

We look forward to hearing from you!

The Hornbeam: a community organisation working with a range of partners in Waltham Forest and beyond.  We offer:  SPACE for communities to meet in E17 and E4, TIME and support to develop community initiatives, and SKILLS and knowledge about low cost, low impact living.

We work in close partnership with other organisations across the borough (in particular Forest Recycling Project, HEET,  Organiclea, the Friday Hill Community Association and Norman Loves who run the Hornbeam Cafe).

A strategic role in Organiclea’s Distribution

• Do you share a passion for developing and delivering a sustainable community food enterprise?
• Can you combine strategic development with day to day operational delivery?
• Are you excited by spreadsheets and strategy as well as produce and people?

OrganicLea’s distribution work is growing rapidly but sustainably. Our box scheme is the key route for getting produce onto people’s plates, with  300 bags packed each week. We also run two community market stalls and work with 15-20 cafes and restaurants per week, from our local community café to Michelin-starred restaurants. As well as supplying our own produce, we help build markets and livelihoods for farmers and increasing numbers of local growers. We link this work with our training and volunteering programmes, part of our mission to reimagine an equitable food system.

We are looking for someone to join us on this journey – working to grow our box scheme, help develop new partnerships for distributing our own and other local produce, ensure distribution’s finances are ship-shape on a weekly and annual basis. This is core work with the distribution team being responsible for almost 50% of OrganicLea’s annual income.

If you are motivated by getting good food onto people’s plates, and committed to the role that local food distribution plays in building livelihoods for farmers and growers, then this could be the role for you.

We want to fit the role to the person rather than the other way round so we’re looking for someone we can work with to shape the specific role and hours that will best match their skills. Tasks and responsibilities will include some or all of the following:

• Coordinating overall distribution enterprise strategy –manage box scheme and stalls growth, establish new markets, link our core distribution into our expanding work to support other local growers to get their produce to market.
• Weekly distribution logistics – eg customer liaison, pack and delivery management, publicity and communications.
• Distribution finance oversight – including weekly bookkeeping tasks and financial planning and budget tracking.

We are looking for someone who can work on their own initiative and as part of a team, and progress to full participation in the running of OrganicLea workers’ cooperative, including contribution to its governance and strategic development.The ideal candidate will have very strong administrative, logistic, strategic and people skills. You will be able to coordinate strategic development with your colleagues whilst also getting stuck into the weekly tasks of the box scheme and finance work.

You need previous experience of working in a local community project or of running an enterprise. You should have a high level of computer literacy including confidence with spreadsheets, and experience of using quickbooks or similar bookkeeping software (or the aptitude to learn). You need excellent financial skills and a passion for crunching numbers.  We’d like you to have the ability to work well with volunteers, and the skills to make communications flow to those who need to know. You’ll be able to troubleshoot and deal with challenges in a creative, friendly and professional manner. Ideally you will have knowledge of community connections and opportunities in Waltham Forest and neighbouring boroughs, or the capacity to develop knowledge and connections quickly. We’re also keen for you to be a cyclist willing to cycle with a trailer, and a driver willing to drive our milkfloat!

It’s a lot to ask for, but if the role interests you please talk to us – motivation and aptitude and an empathy for the way we work are more important than precise work experience.

The detail: this is a 3 or 4 days per week role – core days are currently Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays. The exact role responsibilities and hours will be confirmed on appointment, depending on availability and skills set. There is also a monthly Saturday stall shift plus additional unpaid coop responsibilities.

The salary is £22,022 pro rata (based on 35 hour week), with pay review in April. Initially it’s a 1 year contract subject to a 7 month probation period for co-op membership. The work is based at Hawkwood Community Plant Nursery and at our office at the Hornbeam Centre in Walthamstow.

How to Apply

Please write a brief outline explaining why you are interested in joining OrganicLea’s distribution team, what experience and skills you can bring to OrganicLea, your work and training history (this could be attached as a CV).

Please also provide the name and contact details of two referees; your own contact details; information on any unspent convictions.

Please send applications to marlene@organiclea.org.uk

Deadline for applications:  midday on Monday 21 March

Interview date: Thursday 24 March

Start date: as soon as possible after interview

Organiclea Community Growers ‘Food growing on London’s edge’

www.organiclea.org.uk

020 8524 4994 (Hawkwood Plant Nursery site)

020 8558 6880 (Hornbeam Centre)

Organiclea are looking for 8 people to fill 8 exciting trainee roles for 2016.

Each role will take on a specific area of responsibility and develop specific skills and experience in community food growing, local food distribution, infrastructure and supporting volunteers. These voluntary roles are aimed at people who want to develop skills to make a livelihood from community food work. The majority of the trainees who were with us in 2015 have found work in community food growing and gardening.

The roles run from April until December 2016. An outline of each role is below, but for full details of the roles and how to apply, visit their website:

http://www.organiclea.org.uk/2016/02/trainee-roles/

The closing date for applications is midnight on Sunday 28 February.

OrganicLea Trainee Roles in 2016

Grower (Plants and Production) trainee. Two roles – 9 months, 1.5 days per week.

This role will develop skills in all aspects of vegetable production.

Grower to Grocer trainee. Two roles – 9 months, 1.5 days per week.

As well as developing skills in vegetable production, this role will focus on preparing produce for a commercial market.

Grower (Horticulture with Fruit and Vines focus). Two roles – 9 months, 1 day per week

This role will develop the skills required to manage orchards, trained fruit trees and soft fruit bushes, and develop skills in organic wine production and other fruit processing and preserving methods.

Volunteer Support trainee. One role – 9 months, 1 day per week

This role will develop skills in supporting diverse community members, including those with support needs, to take part in community growing.

Infrastructure trainee. One role – 9 months, 1 day per week

This role will be focused on the site management aspects required to maintain and develop Hawkwood Plant Nursery and will also play a supporting role in the growing of plants and produce.

The application process:
Please read the full role descriptions, then send a CV and covering letter telling us

–          which role you’re applying for,

–          specifically why you want this role

–          how you fit the requirements of the role.

You can apply for more than one role.

Applicants will be short-listed according to how well they meet the criteria in the person specifications and demonstrate a commitment to sustainable urban food production.

If you have questions please contact Sunniva Taylor on 020 8524 4994 or sunniva@organiclea.org.uk

Closing date for applications: Midnight Sunday 28 February
Interviews will be held week commencing 7 March
Start dates: week commencing 4 April

Applications should be sent to sunniva@organiclea.org.uk or post to:

• Sunniva Taylor
• Organiclea
• Hawkwood Community Plant Nursery
• 115 Hawkwood Crescent
• London E4 7UH

Organiclea Community Growers ‘Food growing on London’s edge’

www.organiclea.org.uk

020 8524 4994 (Hawkwood Plant Nursery site)

020 8558 6880 (Hornbeam Centre)

We grow organic produce at Hawkwood, our 12 acre community market garden and plant nursery, and distribute it to our own market stalls, box scheme and local restaurants.  In 2015 we produced over 1.7 tonnes of salad leaves, featuring 97 different varieties of leaf.

We believe that more food should be grown organically and locally, and yet we cannot meet the demand, notably for salad. As part of our Farm Start programme of supporting new entrants into organic farming, we are looking for two people to assist with, and learn about commercial salad growing; to progress to managing their own salad rotations at Hawkwood, before graduating to their own site. OrganicLea is committed to supporting them in finding an appropriate site, and providing them with growing, marketing and next-steps support throughout the process, and for the first year of running their own salad growing enterprise.

This placement will suit someone looking to develop a food growing enterprise in East London.

Deadline for applications: 5 pm on Friday 5^th February

Interview date: Wednesday 10^th  February

To apply: Please send a CV or employment (and volunteering) history and covering letter detailing how you meet the person specification and why you want this post to ru@organiclea.org.uk. For more information about this role please call Ru on 020 8524 4994.

Details of the role

• Unpaid voluntary role
• Travel expenses can be reimbursed for up to £5 per day
• A seasonal, vegan, organic lunch will be provided on Wednesdays
• Dates: Tuesday 1 March – Tuesday 22 November 2016
• Time commitment: 1.5 days per week (Tues and Weds) until mid-June; 1 day pw mid June onwards, with optional extra ½ – 1 day.
• Hours: Tuesdays from 9.00am – 5.00pm and Wednesdays 9.00am – 1.00pm
• Based at: Hawkwood Community Plant Nursery
• Supported by and responsible to:OrganicLea’s Production Support Worker

Main objectives

• To learn about and assist with all aspects of propagation in the glasshouses
• To learn about and assist with all aspects of planting and maintaining the salad growing areas of the Hawkwood site
• To assist with harvesting and preparing produce in accordance with the needs of the OrganicLea stall, box scheme or other independent outlets
• To provide support for the vegetable production at Hawkwood
• To gain the necessary skills, confidence, contacts and support to run a successful salad growing enterprise in East London
• graduating to managing a salad area, and with consultation, making decisions about the planting, maintenance and harvest schedule.

Main Activities

Growing

• Formulating propagation media
• Raising plants from seed
• Irrigation
• Preparing ground, planting and maintaining salad crops, green manures and companion plants
• Organic weed, pest and disease management
• Harvesting schedules and techniques
• Winterising salad beds
• Undertake other activities in support of OrganicLea, as appropriate

Harvesting

• Cutting/picking produce to the agreed methods, ensuring quality control
• Preparing produce according to ‘product descriptions’
• Weighing, packaging, sealing, labelling and organising dispatch

Person Specification

Essential

• Interest in sustainable food production and the desire to put that interest into practice
• Some experience of growing
• Happy to work mainly outdoors throughout the year
• Ability to carry out shared tasks and work within a team
• Ability to work on own initiative, prioritise tasks and work to deadlines
• Commitment to and understanding of the aims of OrganicLea

Organiclea Community Growers ‘Food growing on London’s edge’

www.organiclea.org.uk 020 8524 4994 (Hawkwood Plant Nursery site)

020 8558 6880 (Hornbeam Centre)

GROW and LEARN: Hawkwood Plant Nursery, 115 Hawkwood Crescent, Chingford E4 7UH

Volunteering Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays

Open day last Sunday of the month.

Support local food production, get skilled and receive food growing advice, training and project support.

COOK and EAT:

Join our box scheme for fresh, local fruit and veg.

Enjoy local produce cooked for you in the Hornbeam Cafe (Tuesday – Saturday 10-5) and visit our Saturday market stall here, 10-3. Hornbeam Centre, 458 Hoe St, Walthamstow E17 9AH

Community Food Grower

At Forest Farm Peace Garden we are seeking an experienced organic food grower with a permaculture interest or experience, to take the lead on our community food growing project. The Food Grower position is a fantastic position for an individual with a strong understanding of sustainable food growing methods.

The main aim of the role will be to manage a site and work with a team of volunteers to increase the productivity, efficiency of our site, as well as to create learning opportunities through delivery of workshops.

Duties:

You will co-ordinate day-to-day activities in the Garden, including planning gardening tasks in consultation with volunteers and helping to run our twice-weekly volunteering sessions.   You will lead on managing the food-growing programme and ensuring materials and tools are supplied. You will be helping to increase skill base in our community by assisting in running training sessions on different aspects of gardening and through work with local networks and partners. You will also share responsibility with the Project Coordinator, Ecotherapy Worker and key volunteers for longer-term management and development of the site.

Forest Farm Peace Garden is a registered charity no: 1123031. This post is funded by the Peter Stebbings Memorial Charity and National Lottery through the Big Lottery Fund.

Details of employment:

The post is for 14 hours a week (Wednesdays and Fridays). You will be required to work the occasional Sunday and there will be some evening meetings.  You will be entitled to time off in lieu.

Salary: NCJ Scale 4 –  £17,333 – £19,317 pro rata (depending on experience)

Location:  Forest Farm Peace Garden (FFPG), Hazelbrouck Gardens, Hainault, Ilford (site of the Garden. The job might include occasional office based work. Our office is located at 98-100 Ilford Lane, Ilford, Essex, IG1 2LD.

Applications close at noon Tuesday 12th January 2016

Interviews take place on Wednesday, 20th January 2016

Sessional Garden Worker

At Forest Farm Peace Garden we are seeking a sessional garden worker to help us run therapeutic gardening sessions and assist at our workshops and events.

The aim of the role will be to support our staff in running our therapeutic gardening programme. You will work alongside the Ecotherapy Worker, Community Food Grower and Project Coordinator helping to run activities in the Garden, including planning gardening tasks in consultation with volunteers and running our twice-weekly volunteering sessions.

You will help to manage activities and volunteers in a way that makes the Garden a healing space and a safe and welcoming place for all, particularly those with mental health-related support needs. You will be required to undertake an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check and undergo safeguarding training.

Duties:

You will help to co-ordinate and lead daily tasks at our twice-weekly therapeutic gardening sessions.You will work alongside supported volunteers, being friendly and supportive, making sure they have enough direction and training and are enjoying their volunteering. You will assist our staff and help to run workshops and events in the garden. You might be asked to work occasional weekends.

Details of employment:

The post is offered on zero hrs contract for a duration of 1 year. Number of hrs might vary depending on the needs of the project.

Salary: £10/ hr

Location:  Forest Farm Peace Garden (FFPG), Hazelbrouck Gardens, Hainault, Ilford

Applications close at noon Friday, 8th January 2016

Interviews take place on Friday, 15th January 2016

For further details, and to apply, please visit our website:

https://forestfarmpeacegarden.wordpress.com/get-involved/vacancies/

or call us on: 0208 477 1655

Forest Farm Peace Garden is a registered charity no: 1123031. This post is funded by the National Lottery through the Big Lottery Fund.

In March 2014 Waltham Forest Council was one of 3 London boroughs to receive £30m ‘Mini Holland’ funding from Transport for London (TfL). The bid featured a number of key strands, which are interlinked to create a more attractive public realm environment where young and old alike find it easier, safer and more enjoyable to use active travel modes such as walking, scooting, and cycling. And to forge better neighbourhoods where people want to linger, chat, watch the kids play out, and where it is more tempting to use local shops and services rather than travelling further afield.

Its important to understand that Mini Holland is not about catering for existing cyclists – they can largely take care of themselves on our hostile streets although the vast majority would like safer roads where they didn’t court death every day. A fundamental aim of the programme is to utilise best practice on the continent (and in particular the Netherlands) in a way that genuinely tackles the road dangers and other barriers that prevents the huge numbers of people who would cycle if conditions were better. Once this programme is complete anyone between the age of 8 and 80 should be able to choose to safely travel around by bike.

The pace of delivery of this immense programme (dictated by TfL’s 3 year deadline) is rapidly accelerating, with much council and other publicity about what’s planned. And more and more local people are being invited to take part in perception surveys to offer feedback about their area, as well as engagement workshops to discuss issues and options, formal scheme consultations, and if approved, are often involved in detailed scheme design.

Orford Road, a former rat run in Walthamstow Village

And now our streets are now changing on the ground, with 7 road closures having gone in over the last couple of months, and many more scheduled over the next few. We’re seeing new pocket parks and tree planting going in, cycle racks are springing up across the borough, sections of high quality cycle tracks have been constructed, 2 station cycle parking hubs have been built, and 30 on-street residential cycle parking hangers have been installed. And what’s been built is just a small part of what is planned. Already after just a few weeks of the Walthamstow Village scheme being completed we are seeing amazing behaviour change from residents and visitors – kids skateboarding & families walking down the middle of traffic free streets, boules played in a revamped and bigger community square, many more younger and older people out on bikes.

The rate of change means that community engagement has been intense and quick, and some detailed design ‘tweaks are inevitably required for schemes that are already in or planned. So its only natural that many local people are feeling rushed, and this has created a bit of a ‘bikelash’ from those who have yet to be convinced of the merits of the programme.

Protests have been held, and more will undoubtedly be planned. There will be a huge debate at the full council meeting at Waltham Forest Town Hall on Thursday 22^nd October 2015, sparked by an opposition motion which seeks to challenge the Mini Holland programme.

I believe that Mini Holland is a hugely ambitious vision backed up with a brave and deliverable plan, and which at a stroke tackles a large number of so far apparently intractable bigger picture problems that local government across the UK has been struggling to address. This includes growing levels of pollution, obesity, diabetes, traffic congestion, and how to tackle these against a backdrop of rapid population growth which is set to make all these issues even worse. Mini Holland offers a powerful mechanism for us to tackle these problems, and additionally relocalise our neighbourhoods, strengthen our local economy, create a more resilient community and reduce our carbon footprint.

Unfortunately I also believe that time is running out – we are facing immense planetary challenges, including non renewable resource depletion (and more wars over them), eco system destruction, global economic instability, and run away climate change. Whilst we are currently a comparatively wealthy nation, our window of opportunity (where we have the resources to make the necessary change) is closing. We cannot afford to delay, and must do all we can to support those who offer solutions.  And to be blunt, our community is going to face further and bigger challenges after mini Holland – we have to learn how to be more flexible as new threats arise, to negotiate solutions, to respectfully hear those who disagree, and help support rapid change.

So if you live in Waltham Forest and agree with me that Mini Holland is an important step in the right direction, please email your councillors telling them this. No need to agonise for hours over what to write – a few lines sent now is much better than a wonderfully constructed essay sometime in the future! In case you are interested, my email to 40 local councillors follows below.

To find who your ward councillors are:
http://democracy.walthamforest.gov.uk/mgFindMember.aspx

If you want to know more about Mini Holland, check out
http://www.enjoywalthamforest.co.uk/
https://wfcycling.wordpress.com/mini-holland/
Paul Gasson

Walthamstow resident & dad, who walks, cycles … and occasionally even drives, and Council Liaison Officer, Waltham Forest Cycling Campaign
————————–

My email to 40 local councillors.

Dear Councillors,

I wish to outline why I fully back the council’s Mini Holland programme, and to ask you to continue your support for it.

I appreciate there is concern coming from some local residents and there are a few genuine issues which may require small changes in terms of scheme design detail. However I believe that the overall aims and design principles are sound.

The speed of delivery required by TfL for this programme has understandably triggered a backlash from some who have not yet had time to fully consider and comprehend the scheme benefits, and from others who are fearful of rapid change.
This can be largely tackled via further engagement with key groups, the dissemination of more information on the challenges we face in the borough and clear evidence demonstrating how Mini Holland tackles many of them.
And by making it clear that if we reject Mini Holland there is no alternative strategy to address some very serious issues… and we also lose a huge amount of funding for some innovative public realm schemes which have the potential to hugely improve our borough.

I strongly believe that there’s a silent majority who support this scheme – half of local households in the Walthamstow area don’t have access to a car, and many of those who do have a car rarely use them. This majority is being drowned out by a small but well organised and vocal opposition group.

What I don’t see from those against Mini Holland is any coherent alternative solutions on

– how to make our roads safer for those who walk, and those want to cycle,
– how to reduce air pollution which kills 10,000 Londoners a year and harms lung development in young people,
– how to make better use of the very limited road capacity in our borough without making all of our residential streets noisy, dangerous and polluted rat runs,
– how to help residents adopt more active lifestyles and improve their health reduce their burden on the NHS due to issues such as our growing rates of obesity and diabetes,
– how to help most local businesses thrive when the vast majority of their customers do not currently arrive by car,
– and how we can accommodate the projected population increase of 30% in the next 25 years on our borough without some truly radical change.

Local people who cycle have helped to compile many useful facts and figures which show why Mini Holland is the way forward; click here to see them
https://wfcycling.wordpress.com/mini-holland/evidence/

So as well as Mini Holland being a huge step on the right direction in tackling these urgent issues, there is an even more compelling reason …. the need for a massive reduction in our carbon footprint to prevent our and many other species being wiped off the face of this planet. I want following generations to have a future shaped by a culture of hope and opportunity, not one which is defined by scarcity & fear because we collectively failed to act and triggered a chain of catastrophic events.

There is little evidence right now across the globe that governments have the will or capability to deliver the changes necessary. So I am very very proud that here in our community we are piloting potential solutions.
And that we are seeing growing numbers of politicians, council officers and campaigners from around the UK visiting Waltham Forest to see for themselves the parts of the scheme already on the ground… and all I have spoken with are very very impressed and inspired.
I hope Waltham Forest will be known as a borough which faced up to the challenge and acted as a beacon for many other councils and communities who struggle with similar problems… not one which backed down and failed its residents & businesses.

I salute our local and Londonwide politicians and institutions who have shown the courage to continue to progress this programme despite considerable public hostility.
And I hope you will continue to support this ground breaking scheme.

Dear all

September brings lots of opportunities to connect and learn with Organiclea with workshops, courses, tailored volunteering roles and play! Please read below – something for all ages and we hope it will excite your appetite to participate as the season starts to change! Please share with others and directions to our Hawkwood site at the very end:

‘Get growing over winter’ – Free workshop at August Open day, from 12-1: Sunday 30 August

Running as last-minute opportunity due to several requests from those seeking winter food plants and coming to Open Day for our plant sale. Lots of other goings-on at this Open Day, see http://www.organiclea.org.uk/2015/08/august-open-day-2/
and have a day out!

Forest School for 3 – 6 year olds: Thursdays, starting 17 September (for 6 sessions)

Choose the morning group 10.30am-1pm or afternoon group 2- 4.30pm.
We are really pleased to offer this extension of our growing ‘Forest School’ sessions. It offers children aged 3-6 an opportunity to explore and enjoy the natural beauty of the Hawkwood site. Children will need to bring a packed lunch or snack for all sessions and be dressed in appropriate clothing, footwear and waterproofs. Parents are requested to remain on site for the duration of the session.
£60 (Full price), £50 (Sibling price), £30 (Low income price – limited availablity), £12 (Single session price depending on availability)
To book a place or for more information call Tehseen on 07946477091 or email hawkwoodlandschool@gmail.com – Note places are going very, very quickly, so contact asap!

City and Guilds Level 1 ‘Practical Horticultural Skills’ (10.30 – 4.30 for 6 sessions): Fridays, starting 2 October

This course is a unique way of achieving an accredited gardening qualification through practical learning. It is designed to build basic and technical skills for anyone who is thinking about working as a gardener or who wants to enhance your food production knowledge for the home environment. You will be studying in a community market garden environment with blend of classroom guided learning and practical tasks.
Learning takes place at Organiclea’s Hawkwood site in Chingford.
Booking is through Waltham Forest Adult Learning Service (WFALS): 020 8496 2974 /  020 8496 1061. Use course code: HNG 7187-5SA
They can advise re fees, income-related discounts, and free places for learners recieving benefits.
This course is always fully booked so enquire with interest asap.

Hands-on training at the harvest end of our market gardening work: Tuesdays to start asap

With the season turning, we need more hands! From 11am-4pm on Tuesdays, a small team help the production team harvest produce across Hawkwood ready for our box scheme and restaurant customers. Opportunity involves getting closer to our work as you help with harvesting, weighing, quality control and packing of produce. Harvest hands can expect to take home a small bag of produce every week and be involved in focused gardening activity after the harvesting is completed. We ask for a regular commitment of 3 months to help give you good training in tasks and predict capacity.  If you are interested in joining the Harvest Hands team contact jo@organiclea.org.uk or call 020 8524 4994.

September workshops, free at local Walthamstow libraries in partnerhip with OrganicLea

• Growing in Small Spaces – Tuesday 8 September, 11am – 12.30pm, at Wood Street Library (Forest Road)
• Planting for Winter – Thursday 11 September, 11am-12.30pm, at Higham Hill Library (North Countess Rd).

Booking for both is at www.wfculture.eventbrite.co.uk

Hand Built Wind Turbine Course: Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 October, 9am-5pm

Learn how to build and install a Hugh Piggott wind turbine from scratch using basic materials. Learn about on-grid and off-grid electrical systems, and get hands-on experience and learn transferable skills in welding, wood carving, working with magnets and resin. V3 Power is a worker’s cooperative based in Nottingham, which has run courses building Hugh Piggott wind turbines since 2007. The turbine is a robust design that can be easily repaired, maintained and serviced and is an excellent example of appropriate technology. It is used in rural electrification and development projects across the world.
The course costs £225. Booking is through V3 Power, www.v3power.co.uk/courses or call 07969 783353.

Learn how to find unwanted fruit and how to turn it into juice! Thursdays and Fridays into the Autumn

Every autumn Organiclea are invited into local back gardens to collect unwanted fruit from trees, and to scrump uncollected fruit from street trees. Join this small group of scrumping enthusiasts to harvest fruit from around the borough and to learn how to turn all this delicious unwanted fruit into juice. The scrumping project will run Friday 11th September to Friday 16th October. Fruit picking will take plant on Thursdays and Fridays, with juicing at Hawkwood on Fridays. Volunteers can join for a regular weekly slot or the occasional fruit picking session.
Contact Jo to join the scrumping volunteer team, jo@organiclea.org.uk or 0208 524 4994

Yoga and Gong: Saturday 5 September, 10am-2pm

Connect with nature and connect with yourself on this one day workshop led by Organiclea vineyard trainee Ashley and yoga teacher Ali. The workshop offers a unique way of exploring the natural elements of the Hawkwood site and is a fundraiser to help buy a new press for the increasing harvest of grapes.
Contribution: £35 early bird, £40 thereafter. Includes tea and lunch. For booking/ payment contact Ali on piriamvadayogaetc@gmail.com or 07855402837
Full information about the day at www.organiclea.org.uk

And to finish… follow this scent:

Certainly won’t be finding basil in our August-September plants for sale for your winter’s garden; but you can whiff its fragrance in the latest musing from Ru, growing at the Hawkwood site. Enjoy at https://organiclea.wordpress.com/2015/08/11/high-summer/
AND here’s just a sniff:

” … Basil’s cultivation may be as old as culture itself. Native to India and the Middle East, it continues to be considered holy in Hindu, Buddhist and Greek Orthodox traditions. Our packing warehouse doesn’t resemble a temple, but there is something transcendental about the incense of basil that pervades the air there on summer harvest days. High on herbs and hope: Paradise on Earth.”

For directions to our Hawkwood site see: http://www.organiclea.org.uk/contact-us/
—
Clare Joy
ORGANICLEA COMMUNITY GROWERS
www.organiclea.org.uk

Support local food production, get skilled and receive food growing advice,  training and project support

• Hawkwood volunteering days Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays  11am-1pm & 2pm-4pm
• Hawkwood open day last Sunday of the month   12pm-4pm

Hawkwood Plant Nursery, Chingford E4 7UH Tel: 020 8524 4994

The Hornbeam, 458 Hoe Street, Walthamstow E17 9AH Tel: 020 8558 6880

Click to download the poster

Learn new skills, get business training and receive expert support for your start up

If you are aged between 16-25 and living in Waltham Forest you have the opportunity to develop your own social or ‘waste’ enterprise that will make money and benefit you community.

• You will received specialist business and enterprise training to develop your idea over a single day in September 2015
• Launch your enterprise in a pop-up shop / market stall or online
• Attend our dragons den style event in November where one team will gain a place at the Test Town grand final and be in with a chance to win £10,000 to develop their idea

Groups and individuals will be considered. Places are limited.

To register visit www.surveymonkey.com/r/TestTownWalthamstow

For more information contact

Ben Hudson, B.Hudson@lsx.org.uk, 0207 234 9400, @LSx_News, www.lsx.org,uk

About Test Town

TestTown has become the UK and Ireland’s biggest accelerator programme for young entrepreneurs with fresh ideas for rejuvenating the country’s town centres.  In the last two years, TestTown has helped inject £200k into start-ups, supported 150 entrepreneurs and helped get 45 new local businesses off the ground.