Tottenham station garden wins community award

A Tottenham train station garden has been announced as one of the winners of an annual competition.

Last week (Thursday, 21st September), South Tottenham Station won the ‘In Bloom’ Sandra Wilkes community award for its large garden featuring a range of flowers, vegetables and other plants with painted roundels. The garden was created three years ago when two station assistants Azaz Khan and Ray McDonagh converted a part of the station into a community garden in collaboration with the local community and school children.

Azaz and Ray told HCP that they are delighted and feel greatly honoured to have received the Sandra Wilkes community award as well as being runners up for the ‘cultivated station garden’ category.

Azaz and Ray, said: “A huge thank you to Transport for London for appreciating and recognising our efforts, and to the local community at South Tottenham for supporting this cause. The response from the South Tottenham community has been brilliant – from a bakery providing wooden pallets to a gardener sharing expert knowledge on soil pH levels. We look forward to celebrating these awards with the local community.”

‘In Bloom’ is an annual Transport for London (TfL) staff competition that gives stations the opportunity to showcase their gardens. The award launched more than 100 years ago. The theme for this year’s competition was ‘healthy plants, healthy people, healthy earth’ in recognition of the increasing threats from climate change, with 57 entries from across the TfL network judged by more than 40 volunteers.

Mark Evers, TfL’s chief customer officer, said: “As a judge in our fiercely contested In Bloom competition, I am always so impressed by the fresh ideas, creativity and energy that staff and local people and businesses bring to these gardens, benefitting both staff and people travelling around the city. While the gardens bring an element of tranquillity, inviting Londoners to slow down and savour a moment in nature, this year’s theme reflects the increasing urgency of tackling climate change, and the pace at which we are working as an organisation towards a cleaner, greener transport network.”

Seb Dance, deputy mayor for transport, said: “I am truly impressed by the dedication and creativity demonstrated by TfL staff at the annual ‘In Bloom’ competition. These gardens will bring a sense of calm and wellbeing to staff and people using the transport network.

“The threats of climate change are increasing day by day. The theme for this year’s competition illustrates that all of us can play our part in creating a healthier planet and supports the mayor’s aim to continue building a cleaner, greener and more prosperous London for everyone.”