20 refugee organisations and garden projects supported with donated seed packets
In 2020, in response to the Covid pandemic, we launched an emergency seed appeal, inviting gardeners to send us their spare vegetable, herb and flower seed packets to help our gardeners in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
As everyone in all corners of the world found sanctuary in their green spaces during multiple lockdowns, we wanted to create an opportunity for people to come together during the pandemic and beyond to connect with one another and create #GardensWithoutBorders.
Sadly, we were not able to send seed to Kurdistan as planned, due to a combination of issues in relation to the pandemic and international customs. Instead, we have redistributed thousands of seed packets donated by UK gardeners to gardening projects across the country that support displaced people with gardening activities. In the parcels we enclosed our ‘Lenny Lemon’ family gardening activity sheets, developed in conjunction with the Royal Horticultural Society, and which are now available in English, Arabic, Farsi and Ukrainian.
Seeds and other LTT goodies were also distributed to adults and children in refugee camps in Dunkirk, Northern France, with the help of O’s Refugee Aid Team.
Below, we share details of the 20 organisations (and counting!) that we have donated seed packets and activity sheets to so far. We encourage you to take a look at the brilliant work they are doing to support forcibly displaced people and bring communities together.
Thank you to all of the incredibly kind and generous gardeners in the UK that sent us their spare seed or purchased packets specifically to donate to the appeal.
We have paused on accepting seed donations due to the incredible response we’ve had to the appeal to date. Instead, if you are able to do so, we welcome a monetary donation to further support our gardening activities. Thank you.
A tiny sample of the many seed packets kindly donated to our appeal.
Organisations supporting refugees via gardening projects in the UK
UK (with base in Northern France)
O’s Refugee Aid Team – www.osrefugeeaidteam.org
Bristol
Propagation Place – propagationplace.co.uk
Cardiff
Global Gardens Project – www.globalgardensproject.co.uk
Oasis Cardiff – www.oasiscardiff.org
Gateshead
The Comfrey Project – thecomfreyproject.org.uk
Leeds
PAFRAS (Positive Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers) – pafras.org.uk
Meeting Point Leeds / Christ Church Armley Community Projects – meetingpointleeds.org.uk
Mafwa Theatre – www.mafwatheatre.co.uk
London
Bees and Refugees – beesandrefugees.org.uk
Bread and Roses – www.wearebreadandroses.com
CARAS (Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers) – caras.org.uk
Grow 2 Know – grow2know.org.uk
Room to Heal – www.roomtoheal.org
Stories and Supper | Seeds of Recovery – www.storiesandsupper.co.uk/seeds-of-recovery
Transition Town Tooting – www.transitiontooting.org
Manchester
HEAP and Growing Together Project – www.facebook.com/GrowingTogetherLevenshulme
Gaskell Garden Project – thegaskellgardenproject.uk
“We normally run a weekly session for 10 people who mostly would be classed as ‘destitute’ or ‘failed’ asylum seekers.
We work with a local community interest company called Free to Move Immigration Services, RAPAR and Manchester Refugee Rights Collective to provide a space where they can develop both their legal work and their social development at the same time. We use permaculture principles to achieve this holistic approach.
Our current members come from a variety of places but mostly central/west Africa and the middle east.
Unfortunately due to the recent lockdown these sessions have been postponed but we are optimistic we will be able to achieve funding to resume the sessions as soon as we can.
Thank you again for the seeds, they will be greatly celebrated.”
Daniel at Gaskell Garden Project
Rainbow Haven – www.rainbowhaven.org.uk
Nottingham
Nottingham & Notts Refugee Forum – www.nottsrefugeeforum.org.uk
Norwich
English+ – englishplus.org.uk
“I just wanted to thank you for the wonderful and numerous packs of seeds that you have given to English+. We support people who are isolated because of a lack of English language skills. Many of our participants are asylum seekers and refugees and we have around 57 nationalities coming to our classes. Our participants were thrilled to rummage through the Lemon Tree Trust bag to choose the selection of seeds that they would like to grow. I’m looking forward to hearing how everything is growing when we see some of the people tomorrow.
One lady has told me she has planted her seeds in her garden and they are starting to grow. She was very thrilled. She is growing vegetables and has a large family so I look forward to hearing about the produce when it comes! It is lovely to know that people are making use of whatever patches of ground that they have.”
Sarah at English+
Do you know of an organisation supporting displaced people that could utilise seed in the UK?
Please invite them to complete our online form to request seed packets and printed Lenny Lemon gardening activity sheets and in the post (English, Arabic, Farsi and Ukrainian).
You can also download the activity sheets right away on the Resources area.
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