St. Raphael's Edible Garden facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St. Raphael's Edible Garden
The garden in 2017
Location	St. Raphael's, Brent, England
Owned by	Sufra
Public transit access	Stonebridge Park London Buses 232, 224
Website	Official page: https://www.sufra-nwlondon.org.uk/our-services/st-raphaels-edible-garden/ on Sufra NW London.

The St. Raphael's Edible Garden is a special place in Neasden, London. It's a community garden where people can grow food together. Before, it was an empty, unused piece of land. In 2016, a charity called Sufra NW London took it over. They got permission from the Brent Council in 2017 to create this garden. It's a friendly place for people living nearby and visitors. Here, you can learn about gardening and join in fun activities.

How the Garden Started

This garden is built on land that used to have houses. These houses were taken down in 2013. After that, the land was empty and messy. Local people thought it looked bad and often had trash dumped on it. So, they decided to turn it into a beautiful community garden.

In 2015, Sufra NW London started raising money for an edible garden. An edible garden is a place where you grow plants you can eat. Many groups helped, including actress Joanna Lumley. She supported the project through Marks & Spencer's Spark Something Good Campaign. Joanna Lumley said she loved the idea. She felt it would bring people together and help them live healthier lives.

In 2016, the Brent Council approved the garden project. It was very close to Sufra's main office. The charity officially opened the garden in March 2017. They started a "Growing Club" where people learn to garden. This club meets twice a week, on Wednesdays and Sundays. The garden also has other fun projects, like a "Chicken Club." Here, you can learn how to care for chickens.

In November 2016, Sufra and the garden were shown on a BBC TV show. It was called The Big Food Rescue. The show highlighted how the garden helps local people. It showed how fresh food, that might have been thrown away, could be used.

The garden received £1000 from the Aviva Community Fund in 2017. This money helped them buy seeds and other things. By 2019, the garden helped Sufra reach 3000 people each year. The garden was fully finished and officially opened in August 2019.

What You Can Find in the Garden

The St. Raphael's Edible Garden has many cool features.

• Tipi: There's a tipi made from wood and cotton. It's used for cooking outdoors.
• Wildlife Pond: You can find a wildlife pond with fish and other small animals.
• Chicken Coop: There's a chicken coop where chickens lay eggs.
• Raised Beds: The garden has raised beds for growing plants.
• Fruit Trees: You can also see different fruit trees.
• Greenhouse: A greenhouse helps grow flowers and other plants.

Staff and volunteers work together to keep the garden looking great.

Fun Activities at the Garden

The garden offers many activities for people to join:

• Creative Artisanal Workshop
• Growing Club
• Sami's Chicken Club