Downton star hails Hounslow’s ‘first-of-its-kind' programme

Downton Abbey actor Jim Carter OBE has praised Hounslow Council for its unique ‘Grow for the Future’ project. The actor praised the six new sites and called on councils across the UK to follow Hounslow’s lead.  

‘Grow for the Future’ is delivering the UK’s first-ever policy of transforming neglected spaces into orchards, community gardens and allotments and pairing these with schools and community groups to bring biodiversity, sustainability and healthy food closer to home, communities and young people. 

Emmy-nominated Carter – a patron of Greenfingers charity (which creates magical gardens for children’s hospices) alongside his wife Imelda Staunton – opened the first ‘Grow for the Future’ site at Westmacott Drive Open Space last summer.  

The site, once a fly-tipped patch of scrubby grass, is now home to a beautiful wildflower meadow, apple, pear and cherry trees, raspberry and blackberry bushes, and sunflowers. It was planted by students at the local Rivers Academy school, alongside Hounslow Council’s park’s team and Cultivate London. 

In under a year, five further sites have been planted, with an additional 20 trees, two wildflower meadows, a community garden, a new community growing space and two orchards, planted at Henley’s Orchard (Brabazon Road), Lampton Community Garden, Faggs Road (North), and Manor Gardens.  

Last week, the council and community planted Van Gogh Close green space, a little triangle of land which had fallen into disrepair, only 43 meters from a house Vincent van Gogh stayed in in 1876. Working with Lampton Greenspace, Hounslow Council commissioned a carved wooden sign, remembering the artist. Residents of Van Gogh Close helped to plant fruit trees, wildflowers, bulbs and scented plants.  

Educational workshops as part of the project have also covered food growing, urban gardening, harvesting and more.  

Jim Carter OBE said: 

Since attending the opening of the first ‘Grow for the Future’ site last year I’m delighted to hear that now there are six sites up and running.  

'Grow for the Future’ is a wonderful idea - absolutely brilliant in its simplicity – identifying unused and often unloved areas of open space and allowing school children and communities to plant and grow food and flowers. 

Hounslow has led the way and it’s my fervent hope that every council in the UK adopts this marvellous idea. Everyone benefits!

Cllr Salman Shaheen, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Public Spaces, said: 

'Grow for the Future' is opening up once-neglected spaces and giving them over to our children and communities so that they can see where their food comes from, how to grow food in a cost-of-living crisis, and how to live healthy lives in a borough that has some of London’s highest adult obesity rates. 

Sites that have lain empty and fly-tipped for years are being put to use to equip children and adults alike with vital life skills and experience biodiversity and sustainability, first hand. 

I want to show that anyone can grow. And provide land so everyone can grow. For the future.