The South Woodford Community Gardeners have received vital funding to revitalise local flowerbeds and future-proof our green spaces against the challenges of climate change. Fiona Grant reports
South Woodford Community Gardeners reported last summer that we had the opportunity to apply for funding from the Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (NCIL), a lifeline that could not have come at a better moment. Our volunteers (many of them retirees) had been watching climate change take a visible toll on the areas we look after, namely the flowerbeds in George Lane and outside Regency Court on the High Road and the raised ‘bridge beds’ opposite Waitrose. As the original article noted: “Last summer’s heatwave in particular had left the plants desperate for water.”
In early December 2025, we were thrilled to learn our bid had been approved in full, the first time South Woodford Community Gardeners have received any formal funding (the occasional donation from local businesses and residents notwithstanding). We went out to celebrate and began to excitedly discuss how the funds would be apportioned. The money will be spent specifically on the bridge beds and will include fresh soil, drought-tolerant plants, a compost bin (to be situated close to the allotments) and very importantly, a water trolley, as we currently have no easy access to water.
Although the good news arrived in December, the funds themselves were not released until the end of February. That didn’t slow us down. Determined to make a start, we focused on clearing and rebalancing the bridge beds, removing plants that had begun to dominate (bergenias, marigolds and vinca). Many plants were transplanted to George Lane or the Regency beds. Then, in mid-March, a consignment of specially mixed topsoil (a blend of 70% sand and 30% compost) was delivered. This was chosen to give our future drought-tolerant plants the free-draining conditions they need. It was all hands on deck as the team, along with some new volunteers, shovelled and spread the soil onto the beds, working around the tulips already in bloom.
Next comes the exciting part: planting. We’re selecting drought-tolerant plants, such as cistus, santolina, salvias, nepeta, erigeron and sedums. It’s been a real team effort, sharing ideas and shaping a planting scheme that will thrive in hotter, drier summers. The benefits will be felt immediately. Local businesses will enjoy a more attractive streetscape and our volunteers gain the physical, social and mental wellbeing that comes from working outdoors with a shared purpose – and we are always seeking new volunteers to join us!
Long-term, the impact is even greater. These improved beds will support biodiversity, offering vital microhabitats for bees and butterflies and other pollinators in an increasingly urban environment. So, over the next few weeks, why not take a stroll up to the bridge beds and see this exciting transformation for yourself?
For more information, email southwoodfordgardeners@gmail.com
