What is “the Barn”?
“The Barn” is a sensitive renovation and extension of Brockwell Park Community Greenhouses’ main greenhouse, creating a comfortable and practical learning space to use year-round.
About one third of the Greenhouse space will be re-purposed for the construction, with the new facilities built around it to maximise the available space. The inventive design will allow for significant addition to the current premises without compromising growing space. In fact, the amount of space dedicated to growing is likely to increase, as the Barn is being built on land which is not suitable for outdoor growing and will free up space in the Greenhouse for more indoor plant propagation.
In 2020 we are starting Phase 1 of this project – a renovation of the greenhouse. We have already raised £10,000 for this project and you can still donate now.
What will the Barn add to the Community Greenhouses?
The Barn development will provide:
- A properly equipped teaching kitchen for hygienic food preparation and cooking. This will allow us to greatly extend the scope and number of food-related workshops and classes we provide.
- A dedicated learning area where we will host local schools, holiday workshops for children and adult learning courses. This secure and heated space will allow us to accommodate visitors year-round and whatever the weather, greatly increasing the number of people we can host and the type of activities we can offer.
- The opportunity for the charity to run parallel sessions for children and adults – the Barn area can be accessed separately and closed off if necessary from the main body of the site.
- Adequate and suitable storage space for educational resources and cooking ingredients, as well as cooked and preserved produce.
- Cloakroom space to store our visitors’ coats, boots and rucksacks.
- Two new toilets – crucial for the larger number of classes/schools the Barn will accommodate (and an improvement on the current bathroom facilities).
- A large and safe outdoor playground for children to play and garden in.
- A shop space where the charity can present plants and produce for sale to the public.
How much will the Barn cost?
The whole Barn development is estimated to cost £400,000, of which £165,000 has already been raised. We are seeking to raise £10,000 from the general public, a not insignificant but manageable total. You can donate here. The rest we will raise from other grant giving bodies. We do not currently receive any statutory support from the government or local council.
Have you already committed to the project?
Community support is obviously at the heart of what we do, and so we’re asking you – and everyone you know – to cast your vote in support before we begin.
We must reach our target of 2,000 votes by the end of June before we break ground on the project.
Casting your vote is quick and simple – just fill in the form below to show your support. Once you’ve voted, why not share this page with your friends and family, so they can support the local community too?
