Who we are
Wolves lane centre was a council-run site that combined plant nursery operations and garden centre with community and schools education and volunteering. Haringey Council have been running the site since 2009 but Government cuts to their budgets led to a reduction in funding. As a result it was agreed that a third party would be best placed to utilise the site and maintain it as a community asset.
So we formed a coalition with a shared vision to transform Wolves Lane into a community food hub and to preserve the extensive rare urban glasshouse infrastructure. The coalition consists of:
- London Grown, a community food growers co-operative, complementing their field-scale growing at Pasteur Gardens with glasshouse use at Wolves Lane. They work with volunteers and school groups to increase social inclusion and engagement through food growing
- Crop Drop, Haringey-based veg box scheme, are supporting local sustainable food chains through providing a market for small scale organic growers. They will be providing an outlet for produce grown on site
- OrganicLea offering support from experience of running a community enterprise in food growing and training at Hawkwood Nursery
- Ubele are creating innovative solutions for some of our most pressing social, economic and political concerns through social leadership development, community enterprise and social action, incubating projects across the UK
- Shared Assets, a ‘think and do tank’ which is researching and promoting good models of public land management
- Dee Woods, BBC Cook of the Year in 2016, who runs healthy eating programmes and is a volunteer chef at the Granville Community Kitchen
As well as the members of the consortium, the centre is hosting an expanding number of groups, projects and activities, including:
- Wolves Lane Flower Company grow beautiful, seasonal flowers in for weddings, events and local delivery.
- Wolves Lane Workshop helping with upkeep of this marvellous community resource.
- Friends of Wolves Lane is a group of volunteers and local residents. All welcome.
- Puddles parties with pirates and fairies.
What’s going on?
Monthly Community Market
We open our gates once a month for The Wolves Lane Community Market. You can buy fresh produce, plants, natural body care products, jewellery and other crafts made by local people. Enjoy street food, kids activities and tours of the site.
The market takes place on the 2nd Sunday (1pm -6pm) of the following months:
- Sunday 10th June 2018
- Sunday 8th July 2018
- Sunday 9th September 2018
- Sunday 14th October 2018
- Sunday 9th December 2018
Volunteering
On a weekly basis the centre is generally closed to the public until we secure funds to staff the site. In the mean time we have a team of volunteers helping to grow, fix, develop and run the site. We welcome anyone who would like to help out!
Food and horticulture volunteering opportunities at Wolves Lane provide you with the chance to spend time with nature, have fun, get active, share your knowledge and meet new people.
Palmhouse maintenance group: Tuesdays 11am – 4pm
Are you green fingered and want to get more involved in horticulture? Join our Palmhouse restoration team every Tuesday to help care for the tropical plants.
Food Growing with London Grown: Tuesdays 11am – 4pm
Work with the food growers and learn natural organic growing techniques – planting seeds, preparing beds, planting out, pruning and harvesting.
Veg packing with Crop Drop: Wednesdays 12 – 4pm
Help sort the deliveries of fresh produce from the farmers and pack the veg bags. No previous experience is necessary. It helps if you like vegetables, music from the 80s/90s and can lift 10kg bags of carrots. Take home some lovely organic fruit & veg at the end of the shift! contact veg@cropdrop.co.uk if interested.
Contact us
Want to get involved in gardening, natural food growing or the fixers workshop?
If you are interested, want to know more or would like to join in, please get in touch.
* we won’t spam you or share your details.