On Sunday 16th October (World Food Day), and the week that follows to mark London Challenge Poverty Week, growing projects and people knowledgeable about wild food around the borough are invited to host an event and encourage local people to visit their space. It could be a foraging trail in a park, cooking with foraged ingredients or showing people what grows in their community garden, wild and/or cultivated and giving foraging and growing tips.
We encourage people to get involved in mass participation on this day and meet local growers and gardens. The coordinated events will draw people’s attention to the wealth of growing projects and wild food in the borough and encourage people to visit and volunteer at growing spaces close to them. You could even visit more than one event on the same day.
Foraging is one solution to the climate emergency, a theme within We Are Lewisham. It can be done all year round. People will learn skills, become more aware of wild foods and hopefully encourage and protect them. This year it's been very dry so the timings and quality of wild foods are not clear. This sort of awareness makes us more clued up on the local effects of climate change.
You can find a local foraging map on Google for Lewisham here. You can find a map of local food growing projects on Lewisham Local's website here. A list of special events, funded by We Are Lewisham Creative Change Fund, and 4in10 London Challenge Poverty Week will be posted over the coming days. We're also putting the events on a map here.
NB Please note that some wild foods are poisonous, such as some mushrooms and berries and other foods, so please do not pick and eat anything that you're unsure about. And please do not over forage as this can be damaging. Edible wild foods may grow next to prickly/poisonous plants too.
Here are some foraging guides and recipes to get you started:
Woodland Trust foraging guidelines: Foraging Guidelines - Woodland Trust
Events confirmed so far
Saturday 15th
1) Foraging Walk in Manor House Gardens 11.30 - 1.30
Queen’s Walking Group and Kitchen Buddy invite you to a foraging walk and wild food adventure in Manor House Gardens - Taunton Road London SE13 5SU.
Meeting point TBC.
A Guided tour around the woodland, river Quaggy, lawns and hedgerows.
Please book on Eventbrite:
Contact Joan (Queen’s Walking Group) on 07949438712
Sessions led by Theresa Webb Kitchen Buddy 07734166738
Sunday 16th World Food Day
1) Foraging Walks in Hilly Fields 11am and 1pm
Rachel Mooney, Chair of the Friends group, will be leading two one-hour foraging walks on in Hilly Fields Park, Hilly Fields Crescent, Ladywell, SE4 1QE. Walks are scheduled to take place at 11.00 then at 13.00. Organised by RMUK and Friends of Hilly Fields Park.
Meet by the water fountain approximately 20 yards away for the entrance, near the Francis Drake Bowling Club.
Join to discover at least 14 bushes, trees and plants, some of which can be used to make various types of herbal teas.
Please book on Eventbrite:
Please wear appropriate footwear, waterproof clothing, and bring an umbrella if necessary. There is an enclosed 'classroom' type set up where the Park Keeper is based which can be use if it rains. There are two public toilets by Pistachios in the Park Cafe which can be used: https://lewisham.gov.uk/inmyarea/openspaces/parks/hilly-fields
2) Foraging Walk Bridgehouse Meadows/Garden 11am - 3pm
Join us for an autumn foraging walk around Bridgehouse Meadows/Garden - Jupiter Woods, Studio 61 Rollins Street, SE15 1EP.
Meet at 11am by the gate at Bridgehouse Garden/Jupiter Woods. Contact Carolina on 07857 740116 or carolina@jupiterwoods.com.
The walk will last approx. 2 hours. Dress warm and waterproof!
Get to know the edible and medicinal plants growing on your doorstep.
The walk will be led by chef Danny Jack and followed by a meal with the foraged ingredients.
All ages welcome. No registration required.
3) Black History Harvest Celebration at the Coco Collective 2 - 8pm
Coco Collective invite you to their Black History Harvest Celebration. Join for a day of harvesting, cooking, discussions & African drumming around a campfire.
ITAL COMMUNITY GARDEN- The Black Gate next to 71 Firhill Road Bellingham London SE6 3SE
2 – 8pm
2pm- Gardening & harvesting crops to be cooked into an Ital soup on site
3pm- Discussions on reflecting back on the season and a new future community garden site
4pm- Drumming session and story telling around a campfire
Please bring a pair of gardening gloves if able and wear suitable clothing for gardening and to keep warm into the evening.
We promote zero waste, so pls bring your reusables to minimise single use food and beverage container waste.
Please see the flyer for more details and to book, click this link here:
4) Tours of Grove Park Nature Reserve 11am - 4pm
Grove Park Nature Reserve (SE12 0UY) will be open 11am – 4pm with tours of the site and serving hot drinks. Either meet at the Ringway Centre (268 Baring Rd, London SE12 0DS) or on site at the nature reserve. Contact Mark on 07988 014283.
5) Foraging trails and making nature art at Forster Memorial Park 11am - 4pm
As part of World Food Day and Catford Arts Trail, Friends of Forster Memorial Park, Kitchen Buddy (Theresa Webb) and Secret Adventurers Club (who run family forest school sessions) will be making nature art and going on foraging walks. Meet at the sensory garden in the park (North edge of the park roughly in the middle), No need to book in advance, just show up. Forster Memorial Park Whitefoot Lane, SE6 1UA.
During London Challenge Poverty Week
Wednesday 19th
1) Foraging Fun for All at Breakspears Mews Community Garden 3.30 - 5pm
Come and learn about what we grow in our community garden and learn which ‘weeds' and plants are edible. We will prepare a simple and nutritious salad or soup to eat in the garden or take home. We will also enjoy some herbal tea made from herbs we will collect in the garden.
Access: Breakspears Mews, Ashby Road, SE41UW Or rear of St Peter’s Court, 29-31 Wickham Road London SE41NE Please apply to attend via Eventbrite as places are limited: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/foraging-fun-for-all-tickets-433904960417
Children welcome with a responsible adult and will need to be supervised at all times
Thursday 20th
2) Make a healing salve from plants at Breakspears Mews Community Garden 3.30 - 5pm
Come and learn which 'weeds' and plants have healing properties and prepare a salve/balm with natural ingredients. Take home a little pot of the magical salve to use at home. We will also enjoy some herbal tea made from herbs we will collect in the garden.
Access: Breakspears Mews, Ashby Road, SE41UW Or rear of St Peter’s Court, 29-31 Wickham Road London SE41NE
Please apply to attend via Eventbrite as places are limited:
Children welcome with a responsible adult and will need to be supervised at all times.
Friday 21st
3) Community foraging, growing and tasting workshop 1.30 - 4pm at Evelyn Community Centre and nearby park
Two Mindful Bees will be running a session including foraging, learning how to grow herbs, cooking, eating together and mindfulness eating/drinking practices to connect with and increase appreciation of food.
This will take place at Evelyn Community Centre 9 Wotton Road London SE8 5TQ and a nearby park.
Please register on Eventbrite:
Saturday 22nd
4) Downham wild food adventure in Downham Fields 10.30am - 12.30pm
A guided foraging tour around the woodland, lawns and hedgerows in Downham fields and the woodland walk. Traditional uses for urban wild plants. Medicinal properties and health benefits. All ages welcome. Led by Theresa Webb Dip NT, assisted by experienced forager and gardener Effat.
Meet in the Downham Leisure Centre. Please register here.
https://downhammattersgroup.wixsite.com/downham-matters/post/event-downham-wild-food-adventure
Sunday 23rd
5) PNK Garden open day and activities 10.30am – 1pm
Get to know PNK Garden @pnkgardenlnd Visit the PNK Garden (on the border of Lewisham and Southwark - Lower Road with Croft Street, SE8 5DR) for some cake, tea and gardening.
Know us and join us to grow veggies and flowers, and for some woodwork. Everyone is welcome, all skills are welcome. Note: Outdoor and no toilet facilities. More info: https://www.instagram.com/pnkgardenlnd/ www.pnkgarden.com
6) Wild Food Forage and Feast in Mountsfield Park 10.30am - 3pm
Walk in Mountsfield Park, Stainton Road London SE6 1AN. Cooking and feast St Swithuns’s Church Hall, SE13 6QE, entrance on St Swithun's Road - 12 - 2pm.
Please book on Eventbrite:
A guided 1.5 hr wildlife adventure around Mountsfield Park woodlands, lawns and community garden, with particular reference to medicinal and nutritional properties.
Meet beneath the tree by the cafe (near toilets)
Followed by a culinary masterclass in using wild seasonal ingredients for a shared light lunch including canapés at St Swithuns’s Church Hall.
Lee Greens will supply some basic seasonal veg
Sessions led by Theresa Webb Kitchen Buddy 07734166738
