056 Community, Gardening And Lockdown On A London Estate - CAROLE WRIGHT talks about Feeling Rooted

Carole Wright is the founder of Blak Outside a multi-disciplinary creative collective providing culturally diverse and inclusive events for the community both online and in person. This collective had its beginnings in the Peabody Blackfriars Estate also known as Peabody Square where Carole has lived for many years. Through her extensive knowledge and management of community gardening, she has been able to combine and integrate the collective - whose central theme is about feeling “rooted” - with their involvement in this shared activity which goes well beyond gardening itself.

Carole takes me on a tour around the community garden at the Peabody Blackfriars Estate and talks about the More Than A Shed Project, plus plans that are underway for a forest garden at the Brookwood community garden just two minutes walk away. Carole strongly believes in promoting the community gardens for after school activities for the children on the estate, as well as inter-generational activities, and Saturday morning events, creating a space “where people can hang out and feel safe”.

Carole talks about the challenges of living on the estate during the lockdown, the increased police presence and, in response, the creation of Blak Outside by the community, for the community.

“We like the mash up of cultures here…

We’ve got to have music and food…

People, sharing, is so important.”

Presently, there’s a cultural block around gardening and horticulture. Carole believes this is changing and is therefore very excited for the next generation and the opportunities it may bring for them.

“A community gardening project isn’t just about gardening,

It’s about the conversations around it.”

To learn more about Blak Outside go to https://blakoutside.org/

Instagram: @blak_outside

Facebook: @Blak Outside

Twitter: @blak_outside

To find out about your podcast host EMMA go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/

A big thanks to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our wonderful podcast jingle!