Garden Organic helps create allotment on 3rd runway site
Posted Monday 11th May 2009
Alys Fowler, Richard Briers and Bob Sherman on the Airplot
(© Couchman/Greenpeace)
Some of the UK's top gardeners are coming together to create an allotment on land earmarked by Gordon Brown for the construction of a new runway at Heathrow airport.
Thirty years after The Good Life ended, actor Richard Briers is teaming up with Gardener's World presenter, Alys Fowler, Garden Organic and Greenpeace to plant fruit and vegetables on the "Airplot" in Sipson. The project is supported by Monty Don, president of the Soil Association.
Under the watchful eye of Alys and Garden Organic's gardening expert, Bob Sherman, Richard and the Sipson villagers will be planting seedlings from the charity's Heritage Seed Library – a collection of rare vegetables at risk of becoming extinct in the UK. They will also be planting the Bright Future apple tree, a new variety perfect for organic gardeners, selected by Garden Organic to symbolise its hopes for a more sustainable world. In planting them, they are looking to remember the legacy left by Richard Cox, and towards a future where the proposed runway has been forgotten. However, if the controversial runway plans for the runway go ahead, the organic allotment would be razed to the ground, along with the entire village of Sipson.
The land, in the middle of the village of Sipson just north of Heathrow, was purchased by Greenpeace with Emma Thompson, Alistair McGowan and Zac Goldsmith in January, just days before the Government gave the green light to Heathrow expansion. The plot now has over 43,000 people signed up as beneficial owners, including Richard and Alys.
The Sipson area has a proud horticultural history. It is the home of the Cox's Orange Pippin apple, whose creator Richard Cox is buried in the local churchyard. Up until the 1960s it was covered in market gardens where all sorts of fruit and vegetables were grown, from peaches to strawberries to leeks. These literally used to feed London – food would be transported to Covent Garden to be sold to the city's population.
Increasing consumer interest in where our food comes from, combined with concerns about food miles and sustainability, has led to an allotment renaissance. In February, Landshare was launched which "match-makes" would-be growers to those with land available, a scheme set up by television chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and backed by Monty Don. In this context, Greenpeace and Garden Organic hope that the allotment will become a valuable resource for the local community, allowing more families to grow their own food.
Climate change poses a serious threat to habitats and wildlife in Britain. Trees such as the sweet chestnut and beech face decline in many parts of southern England, while changes in the timing of seasonal events like flowering, breeding and migration may result in the decline of birds such as turtle doves, yellow wagtails and cuckoos. Salmon, white clawed crayfish (a globally threatened species) and the banded demoiselle damselfly may decline as increased soil erosion affects river quality. There will also be big impacts for gardeners who will see an intensification of pest, disease and weed problems, with drier soils in summer and wetter soils in winter.
The whole of the Sipson area would be destroyed if a third runway gets the go-ahead, and the planned expansion would make Heathrow the single biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the whole of the UK. Labour's airport expansion plans threaten to seriously undermine the UK's ability to meet the 80% cut in emissions by 2050 that we have committed to. Last month, Sir Nicholas Stern, who wrote the groundbreaking report on the economy and climate change, said that the Heathrow decision would “undermine confidence in the UK's ability to meet its climate change target” 1 .
The allotment, under guidance from Garden Organic, the UK's leading organic growing charity, will be cared for using organic practices.
1. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article6135687.ece
Quotes
Richard Briers:
“I'm planting carrot seeds. After they've grown I'm going to send a runway carrot once a year to every member of the cabinet. I'm hoping they'll become so attached to them that they'll drop their plans for Heathrow expansion. I think it's always better to reach for the carrot rather than the stick.”
“This new runway is just such a daft idea. It's obvious to everyone who digs a garden that the climate is already changing, and things are set to get even worse, so why make Heathrow the biggest single emitter of CO2 in the country? I know my carrots alone won't stop the Government, but they'll be very tasty indeed and this is my way of doing something to block the new runway. If thousands more people sign up to become beneficial owners of the allotment land we'll be able to stand together against Gordon's Brown's silly idea, armed with root vegetables and the knowledge that we're right and he's wrong.”
Alys Fowler, Gardener's World presenter:
“This year, grow something, anything, and you will make your world a cleaner, greener more pleasant place to be. Grow something you can eat or drink – a simple mint tea, a salad, your own cucumber sandwich and you will not only taste something mind blowing, but you'll lighten your footprint in perhaps the nicest possible way.”
Monty Don, president of the Soil Association:
“The plan for a third runway at Heathrow is institutionalised madness and I wish Richard and the community of Sipson the best of luck in their campaign.”
“It has never been more important for as many people as possible to rediscover the skills and pleasures of growing their own fruit and veg. I find it tremendously encouraging that people are increasingly doing this in their gardens and allotments and even window-boxes right across the country. In this way we can all make a meaningful contribution to our food and at the same time to the effects of climate change – quite apart from the pleasure and health that it invariably provides.”
Myles Bremner, Chief Executive of Garden Organic
“Garden Organic is thrilled that 'growing your own' and the role it can play in tackling climate change has been recognised by Greenpeace through the creation of an allotment on the Heathrow expansion site. The fact that the local community of Sipson will be able to grow its own food on the doorstep and grow it sustainably is a promising step towards a greener future as well as a clear 'thumbs down' to the unnecessary food imports flown into this country.”
“Through Garden Organic's involvement in the campaign we hope to turn the Airplot into a thriving organic allotment, rich in biodiversity, that helps put Sipson back in touch with the land like it would have been in Richard Cox's day. In doing this we hope that Government will recognise the magnitude of what could be lost - to people and nature - should the runway be built.”
Bob Sherman, Garden Organic's Director of Operations, responsible for the charity's gardens, the Heritage Seed Library, research and horticultural education.
“So many people feel powerless to tackle climate change, but what they misunderstand is that small things done by large numbers of people really can make a difference. Organic gardening is just one of those things – if we all grew a little of our own food, stopped spraying harmful chemicals on the land and respected the soil in which our food is grown – then we could all make an impact.”
“I first began organic gardening in the 1980s and while the general public has come so far in supporting organic, it seems that Government has failed to see that many of the answers to climate change are staring it in the face.”
Richard will be using gardening equipment donated by B&Q
Ian Cheshire, Chairman of B&Q (one of the 13 prominent business men who recently signed a letter calling for a halt to the third runway)
“B&Q is a company committed to reducing its emissions, and we are proud to be providing the public with equipment which can help them reduce theirs. It's really exciting to be helping Richard dig up the site and plant vegetables instead.”
Emma Thompson (co-owner of the Airplot land)
“I helped buy this plot of land because any government remotely serious about reversing climate change should not even be considering these plans. No amount of greenwash will make this runway acceptable. A new runway represents a danger to us all and then economic recession around the world will only be made worse by global warming. We really need to get our minds around that.”
Alistair McGowan (co-owner of the Airplot land)
“I'm so glad that Richard, one of the 43,000 people who've signed up to become beneficial owners, is joining our plot. Like most of Britain, he knows that tackling climate change and recovering from the economic crash means investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy now, not supporting high-carbon white elephants in the future.”
“The idea that BAA and the Government want to bulldoze over our land, and the homes of thousands of people, to build a 'green' runway is utterly ridiculous. There's no such thing as a green runway. The only way to make the runway green is to leave our allotment alone and ditch the whole idea.”
Anna Jones, Greenpeace climate campaigner
“A third runway cannot and will not be built. The whole country is against this ridiculous plan, and tired of a Government which lectures them on doing their bit for the environment, and then turns around to support huge carbon-intensive infrastructure. The Government needs to get out of bed with aviation industry and listen to the scientists, voters and businesses who understand that Heathrow expansion has no place within a low-carbon future.”
Contacts:
- Greenpeace press office, 020 7865 8255 / 07932 842 266
- Garden Organic press office, Charlotte Corner, 024 76217707 / 07967 823001
Photos will be available from the Greenpeace press office
Directions to the Airplot:
The site is a small field behind the car park of the King William IV pub in the centre of Sipson village. The entrance is down the side of 15 Harmondsworth Lane, UB7 OJQ: See location on Streetmap
By public transport:
From Paddington, take the First Great Western train to West Drayton. Trains go roughly every 15 minutes or so, destination Reading, Banbury or Oxford, and take about 22 minutes.
At West Drayton, take the 222 bus towards Hounslow from outside the station (second bus stop along on the left). Get off just after the King William IV pub in Sipson village. Walk back north slightly and at the roundabout with the King William IV pub on, take the exit onto Harmondsworth Lane. The entrance to the plot is up on the left, down the side of number 15.
By car from London:
Take the M4 out of London, and leave at Junction 4. At roundabout take the 3rd exit onto the A408, signposted Uxbridge. Immediately branch left and take the 1st exit onto the A408, signposted "All other routes", then "Hayes", then "Sipson, Harmondsworth".
At the roundabout next to the Holiday Inn, turn left into Sipson village. You'll pass a Garden Centre, then at the roundabout, the King William IV pub. Turn right at the roundabout, and park in the King William IV carpark.
From the West:
Take the M4 towards London, and leave at junction 4. At the roundabout, keep left and take the first left onto the A408, signposted "All other routes", then "Hayes", then "Sipson, Harmondsworth".
At the roundabout next to the Holiday Inn, turn left into Sipson village. You'll pass a Garden Centre, then at the roundabout, the King William IV pub. Turn right at the roundabout, and park in the King William IV carpark.
Parking:
Parking is not available on the Airplot, but parking is available behind the King William IV pub.
Top of pageGarden Organic is the working name of the Henry Doubleday Research Association (HDRA).
We are not responsible for the content of external web sites.
Bookmark this page on: