Groundwork London takes us behind the scenes at Walthamstow’s Lloyd Park, meeting the volunteers who keep it looking beautiful
On a sunny Thursday morning at Lloyd Park, a dozen volunteers gather among the flower beds, ready to get their hands dirty.
Armed with gardening tools and guided by community gardener Saira from Groundwork London, they’re helping to care for one of the park’s historic gardens.
But spend a little time with the Lloyd Park volunteer gardeners and it’s clear that something special is growing here, and it’s about much more than plants.
The friendly, inclusive group meets throughout the year, taking on seasonal gardening tasks to keep the historic garden looking its best. Some volunteers have been coming for years, while others join for shorter periods.
Among the regular volunteers are Ian, who brings a lifelong interest in ecology and the local environment, and Sandra and her son Clifford, who share a passion for horticulture.
For Ian, volunteering has been a natural way to combine his interests with giving something back to the place he has called home for more than four decades.
Having lived locally for 43 years, Ian studied ecology and spent much of his working life in local authority planning, including a role focused on tree preservation in Epping.
After retiring ten years ago, he decided to build on his knowledge by learning more about flowers and joining the Lloyd Park gardening team. He has been attending the Thursday sessions regularly ever since.
Although Ian enjoys his own company, he says one of the greatest rewards has been meeting new people and seeing the tangible results of the group’s efforts.
“Making a small difference chuffs me no end,” he says.
His advice to anyone considering volunteering is refreshingly straightforward: “It’s simple; just come along and see if you enjoy it.”
And if you ask Ian about his favourite plants in the park, he has two particular choices: Ballota, a member of the mint family, and Sarcococca, also known as Christmas Box, which flowers in February.
For Sandra and Clifford, volunteering is a shared interest that has brought their love of plants into the heart of the community.
The mother-and-son duo have both completed various levels of horticultural training and continue to develop their knowledge through practical experience at Lloyd Park.
Clifford has been part of the volunteer group for ten years, while Sandra has been volunteering for twelve.
Gardening was always Sandra’s ambition, but her career took a different direction and she became a shirt maker. Volunteering has given her the opportunity to reconnect with the passion she had always wanted to pursue, she says.
“It’s beautiful when you’ve been working on a flower bed. You can step back and think, ‘This is what we’ve created for the community.'”
Clifford shares that sense of satisfaction, agreeing that seeing the results of their work is what brings him back week after week.
And when it comes to their favourite plant in Lloyd Park, there’s no disagreement: both have a soft spot for roses.
If you’d like to learn more about plants, meet new people and make a difference in your local community, come along and give it a try.
Find out more about what Groundwork London do here
Local news needs your support
We are proud that we were at the forefront of reporting on the recent local elections. We can’t do this without the support of our readers.
Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.
If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.
ACT NOW!
Monthly direct debit
Annual direct debit
£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else.
More information on supporting us monthly or annually
More Information about donations
