Wilder in Brent

Funding from The London Mayor’s, Grow Back Greener Fund and Brent Together towards Zero fund has enabled LEAP to build on our successful model of Wild in Brent. Partnering with Harlesden Primary School and Fryent Primary School for Wilder in Brent, our team continues to deliver programmes to children who have the least access to green space; to transform areas of their schools’ grounds into greener more biodiverse environments.

Project Aims:

Increase access and engagement to nature and green space.
Enhance climate resilience.
Build green skills and knowledge.
Boost wellbeing and personal development
Strengthen community connections.

How we do this

Green Infrastructure

LEAP has worked alongside our school partners, designer and contractors at Harlesden and Fryent primary to repurpose areas in the schools’ grounds. Green infrastructure has been installed that makes growing possible, boosting biodiversity and also making a positive impact on the school environment.

Harlesden School Project March 2023 onwards

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“The work that has been completed to date has changed the whole outlook of the central play area.”

— Harlesden School Staff Member

Enhancing the School Environment

Our green interventions have had a positive impact on the schools as a whole bringing people together, enhancing communication within the school communities. The planting areas have become focal point to observe what’s growing and socialise.

“The whole project has lifted what was once quite a sparse area, making it a focal point for the children and the school. In general, it has made the school area more inviting and in its own way, created an oasis of calm.”
“The playground reminds me of the smell of nature because we have planted new things.”

Child
“The raised planters and seating area is a special feature, where the children can congregate and socialise more. It has encouraged them to talk amongst themselves and is making an area where they can calmly sit and relax and feel proud of the area.”
“I have also noticed that over the sunnier week, we have started attracting more wildlife, in the form of bees arriving. This has been great to show the children and explain the importance they have in the wider scale of how all things are pollinated and grow.”
“I think It’s interesting because you can look at all the vegetables and flowers and guess what they are.”

Child

Programme of Workshops

LEAP workshop leaders facilitate regular garden workshops supported by teachers, that involve the children throughout the process of creating their garden areas. They sow wildflower and vegetable seeds, plant for pollinators with a focus on boosting biodiversity and growing their own vegetables. The majority of children on the project do not have gardens themselves and have not had the experience of gardening or growing.

“I didn’t know this before that you just put a potato and they grow more.”
“I learnt how to grow potatoes.”
“I was surprised that wildflowers can grow by themselves because they are in the wild and they get the water they need from the rain.”
“I learnt that nutrients helped the flowers and not just people.”
“We never planted any fruit before and now we’ve planted strawberries.”
“I didn’t know that worms actually helped the soil.”
“The thing that surprised me and we were digging in the veg patch and I found a king-sized worm and I didn’t know they were that big!”

Boosting Climate Resilience

Both schools are situated within areas of high climate risk highlighted in the London Climate Risk Map. This means that they have less resilience to the effects of climate change such as droughts flooding and air pollution. Our intervention’s such as creating a drought resistant pebble garden, sowing wildflower meadows to boost biodiversity, not using pesticides or fertilizers, promoting techniques such as companion planting and non harmful methods of deterring predators, well as providing waterbutts to down pipes to make use of rainwater all contribute to boosting the climate resilience.

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Boosting Health and Wellbeing

Throughout our workshops our delivery teams observe both the personal and social development of the children involved. The children also acknowledge this through their feedback below.

“When I’m doing gardening, it makes me happy.”
“It makes me feel excited because it’s fun doing gardening and it’s fun when you have to did the soil.”
“It feels very nice and relaxing.”
“It feels very calm because the classroom my class room is the opposite and I really like it as it helps the environment.”
“I feel refreshed because I can get all of the fresh air.”
“I feel calm when I’m digging.”
“It’s definitely kind of like a new type of feeling for me. It’s kind of just, relieving at this point.”
“Gardening makes me feel cheerful.”

Creative Activities

Creative activities are a powerful and enjoyable way to impart knowledge about natures processes.

“I was surprised that when you smashed flower a dye came out of it.”

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Wider Community

Wilder in Brent has connected with Harlesden Town Garden and Roe Green Walled Garden who have hosted our groups, their parents and school staff. This gives an opportunity for our groups to take inspiration and make connections with local green initiatives.

Mid-summer Celebration Events

Our summer celebration events are coming up at the end of June where the children will show off their achievements to the school and local community.

“I was surprised that wildflowers can grow by themselves because they are in the wild and they get the water they need from the rain.”
“Something that surprised me that worms poop and help the plants grow. I learnt about that in the animation.”
“I’m surprised that we’re going on the trip and see new flowers.”
“The first time we were gardening you showed us a video and I never knew the worms poos were good for the soil.”
“The thing that surprised me and we were digging in the veg patch and I found a king-sized worm and I didn’t know they were that big!”

WILDER IN BRENT

How we do this

Green Infrastructure

Harlesden School Project March 2023 onwards

“The work that has been completed to date has changed the whole outlook of the central play area.”

Enhancing the School Environment

“The whole project has lifted what was once quite a sparse area, making it a focal point for the children and the school. In general, it has made the school area more inviting and in its own way, created an oasis of calm.”

“The playground reminds me of the smell of nature because we have planted new things.”

“The raised planters and seating area is a special feature, where the children can congregate and socialise more. It has encouraged them to talk amongst themselves and is making an area where they can calmly sit and relax and feel proud of the area.”

“I have also noticed that over the sunnier week, we have started attracting more wildlife, in the form of bees arriving. This has been great to show the children and explain the importance they have in the wider scale of how all things are pollinated and grow.”

“I think It’s interesting because you can look at all the vegetables and flowers and guess what they are.”

Programme of Workshops

“I didn’t know this before that you just put a potato and they grow more.”

“I learnt how to grow potatoes.”

“I was surprised that wildflowers can grow by themselves because they are in the wild and they get the water they need from the rain.”

“I learnt that nutrients helped the flowers and not just people.”

“We never planted any fruit before and now we’ve planted strawberries.”

“I didn’t know that worms actually helped the soil.”

“The thing that surprised me and we were digging in the veg patch and I found a king-sized worm and I didn’t know they were that big!”

Boosting Climate Resilience

Boosting Health and Wellbeing

“When I’m doing gardening, it makes me happy.”

“It makes me feel excited because it’s fun doing gardening and it’s fun when you have to did the soil.”

“It feels very nice and relaxing.”

“It feels very calm because the classroom my class room is the opposite and I really like it as it helps the environment.”

“I feel refreshed because I can get all of the fresh air.”

“I feel calm when I’m digging.”

“It’s definitely kind of like a new type of feeling for me. It’s kind of just, relieving at this point.”

“Gardening makes me feel cheerful.”

Creative Activities

Wider Community

Wilder in Brent has connected with Harlesden Town Garden and Roe Green Walled Garden who have hosted our groups, their parents and school staff. This gives an opportunity for our groups to take inspiration and make connections with local green initiatives.

Mid-summer Celebration Events

“I was surprised that wildflowers can grow by themselves because they are in the wild and they get the water they need from the rain.”

“Something that surprised me that worms poop and help the plants grow. I learnt about that in the animation.”

“I’m surprised that we’re going on the trip and see new flowers.”

“The first time we were gardening you showed us a video and I never knew the worms poos were good for the soil.”

“The thing that surprised me and we were digging in the veg patch and I found a king-sized worm and I didn’t know they were that big!”

Animation – Brent Gets Wilder

LEAP London CIC