Kai-Oi Jay Yung Intro 25.3.2010: I was on my way to Brick Lane when I spotted potted plants tucked behind the railings next to the grounds of St Leonard’s church, Shoreditch. That’s when I discovered the New Hanbury Project- they offer rehabilitation and training services, to people facing problems of homelessness, alcohol, drugs, poverty or social isolation. Urban cultivation through gardening is one of the methods for the students to gain self confidence and training as a means to heal themselves and focus some energies on what they can learn, contribute- they haven’t looked after themselves in a while. To see the fruits of their own physical integration into the community through the growth of a green stalk or the sprouting of what they’ve planted… in terms of urban wilderness, I think this is another facet of how bodily and and mental connection with one’s urban environment feeds into the how we can live and rehabilitate that which is overlooked and worn, the misplaced and the forgotten and for us to consider the absurdities of public space for non public use.
Sheona Alexander, Manger says:
The New Hanbury Project (NHP) is a centre for personal development and training, located off Shoreditch High Street, East London, and was opened in 2007. NHP is part of Spitalfields Crypt Trust which has been working in East London since 1965.
The NHP is surrounded by the public grounds of St Leonard church. This area was very run down and several people used to sleep rough here and in certain areas it had become a place to take drugs. We offered to start using the area to teach students horticulture and gardening, as a means of not only developing the area but students skill base.
Through the work of the students and the hard effort of Sean the gardening tutor, this area is now safe and looks absolutely stunning in the summer and is heaving with local people coming to spend their lunch breaks here and enjoy all the beauty that the area now offers. We have one student who was totally illiterate when he started the course; he is now studying horticulture and will hopefully progress onto a job after he graduates. Another student has started his own gardening business. However, many of the results are unseen, growing in self esteem or taking pride in something and watching it grow has a lot of therapeutic qualities, where many have never cared for anything in their lives, they now care about what happens to what they plant and produce.
Some further info on Sean (the gardener): He has a great understanding about recovery from addiction and mental health and has been involved in the Hanbury Project for over a year and half. He has really transformed the area. At present Sean is planting vegetables, fruit trees and preparing the area for spring and summer bulbs. There is a poster within the grounds, which shows what plants are growing and when to expect to start seeing them blossom.
New Hanbury Project
Everbloom Pocket City Pollination:Kai-Oi Jay Yung Intro 25.3.2010: I was on my way to Brick Lane when I spotted potted plants tucked behind the railings next to the grounds of St Leonard’s church, Shoreditch. That’s when I discovered the New Hanbury Project- they offer rehabilitation and training services, to people facing problems of homelessness, alcohol, drugs, poverty or social isolation. Urban cultivation through gardening is one of the methods for the students to gain self confidence and training as a means to heal themselves and focus some energies on what they can learn, contribute- they haven’t looked after themselves in a while. To see the fruits of their own physical integration into the community through the growth of a green stalk or the sprouting of what they’ve planted… in terms of urban wilderness, I think this is another facet of how bodily and and mental connection with one’s urban environment feeds into the how we can live and rehabilitate that which is overlooked and worn, the misplaced and the forgotten and for us to consider the absurdities of public space for non public use.
Sheona Alexander, Manger says:
The New Hanbury Project (NHP) is a centre for personal development and training, located off Shoreditch High Street, East London, and was opened in 2007. NHP is part of Spitalfields Crypt Trust which has been working in East London since 1965.
The NHP is surrounded by the public grounds of St Leonard church. This area was very run down and several people used to sleep rough here and in certain areas it had become a place to take drugs. We offered to start using the area to teach students horticulture and gardening, as a means of not only developing the area but students skill base.
Through the work of the students and the hard effort of Sean the gardening tutor, this area is now safe and looks absolutely stunning in the summer and is heaving with local people coming to spend their lunch breaks here and enjoy all the beauty that the area now offers. We have one student who was totally illiterate when he started the course; he is now studying horticulture and will hopefully progress onto a job after he graduates. Another student has started his own gardening business. However, many of the results are unseen, growing in self esteem or taking pride in something and watching it grow has a lot of therapeutic qualities, where many have never cared for anything in their lives, they now care about what happens to what they plant and produce.
Some further info on Sean (the gardener): He has a great understanding about recovery from addiction and mental health and has been involved in the Hanbury Project for over a year and half. He has really transformed the area. At present Sean is planting vegetables, fruit trees and preparing the area for spring and summer bulbs. There is a poster within the grounds, which shows what plants are growing and when to expect to start seeing them blossom.
Added by Kai-Oi Jay Yung, 20 March 2010
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