Margaret Mullane PPC was recently contacted by The National Trust in regard to a Leasing opportunity at Stoneford Community Garden on Leys Avenue.
Stoneford Community Garden is a 0.5acre garden in East Dagenham. It is on the doorstep of 17,000 people and has become a cherished place for local residents to come together and enjoy nature. The garden retains much of its small holding character and has 3 outbuildings, a greenhouse and a soft fruit growing cage. There is an abundance of roses, an orchard, large shady trees and it is surrounded with mature shrubs.
To make the garden more accessible and functional a new entrance and accessible pathways have been installed over the past 18 months. There is also a portable toilet hired on a temporary basis. However, the facilities are still quite limited, and the garden is currently without power, permanent toilets and handwashing facilities.
The National Trust is looking for a tenant to lease and manage the garden for the benefit of local residents.
They said: “The National Trust is open to collaborating where our expertise can support the ongoing development of Stoneford as a community asset; this might include expertise on capital works, horticulture, marketing or fundraising. Depending on the circumstances of the tenant we may be able to offer some funding to support the development of the site. We are also flexible about the lease agreement terms; our priority is finding the right tenant so that the garden can thrive.”
If you are interested in this opportunity, please send a proposal to london@nationaltrust.co.uk. Please include information about:
1. Who you are
2. Your proposal for the garden
3. Previous relevant experience
4. Information about your business model for managing the garden (this can be light touch but should include potential income and expenditure)
5. How you would maintain the garden
Picture credit: National Trust
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