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, which include:
- 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?
We’re open every Sunday!
Wolves Lane Centre has now opened its gates to the public community every Sunday between 12 – 4pm for your chance to purchase organic food produce and plants from the site users and see the latest developments on site.
Support Us – Solar Energy Campaign
www.spacehive.com/wolveslanepalmhouse
Please help us to sustain the upcoming winter months for our Palmhouse and Café, by donating to our crowdfunding page. We need your kind support to talk and share our campaign message, in order to secure the renewable heating supply to our valuable mini-eden in Haringey. Click here to find out more!
Monthly Community Market
Summer Update
After the three markets in 2017 and two markets this year we want to thank everyone who has engaged with the Wolves Lane community market and made it what it has been so far.
Feedback after the May 2018 market, which had over 200 people visit the site, showed how a regular market at Wolves lane can really be a welcoming and fun social space, and showcase different enterprises and community programmes.
We are currently developing funding bids to develop the community market model collaborating with stallholders and the different organisations in and around the Wolves Lane centre. This means that the September and October 2018 markets will be regrettably cancelled, and we apologise for any inconvenience.
Our Next Market
There will still be a festive market on December 9th this year and information about stall pitches will be publicised soon.
It’s been brilliant to meet all involved so far and look forward to next steps in developing the market together.
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.
TUESDAYS > Volunteer from 11am – 4pm
Palmhouse maintenance group
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
Work with the food growers and learn natural organic growing techniques – planting seeds, preparing beds, planting out, pruning and harvesting.
DIY and Bike Workshop
Are you great at fixing things? Help improve, repair and work on structural projects on the large 3 acre glasshouse site. We welcome all skill levels and value any expertise you can offer, please contact Roger on wolveslaneworkshop@gmail.com or 07771 995696 for more information.
WEDNESDAYS > Volunteer from 12 – 4pm
Veg packing with Crop Drop
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.