If you have walked across the Green in the last few weeks, you will have noticed how quickly it grows once the warm weather arrives. Grass does not wait, and neither can we.
The green space between Groom Crescent, Heathfield Square and Strickland Row is not cut by the council. The land belongs to the Ministry of Justice and sits beside HMP Wandsworth, and while the prison lets us use it, nobody maintains it but us. That is why a group of neighbours came together, formed a Community Interest Company, and arranged for Countrywide Ground Maintenance to cut the grass regularly through the growing season. It is a simple arrangement, and it is the only reason the Green stays open, tidy and safe: for children to play on after school, for dogs to be walked across morning and evening, and for the rest of us to stop and talk in a way that is increasingly rare in London.
We are grateful to say we have raised £2,760 towards this year’s £6,985 target. That is 40% of the way there, and we do not take a penny of it for granted. But we want to be honest with you. The busiest cutting months are the ones we are in right now, and the fund has further to go than we would like before the season is out.
This is where we would ask for your help. If you live around the Green and can spare something, please consider a one off gift or a small monthly amount. Nothing is too little. Every contribution, however modest, pays for another cut and keeps the space open for the next family that wants to use it.
And if you run a local business, we would love you to consider becoming a sponsor. Sponsorship funds the grass cutting directly and helps us secure the Green for years to come, and every sponsor is recognised on our Sponsors page alongside the businesses already backing us, including DB Blinds & Curtains, Intrelec and Vaal Consulting. It is a genuine and visible way to show your commitment to the neighbourhood you work in.
The Green belongs to all of us, and it only survives because people chip in. Thank you to everyone who already has, and to anyone who is thinking about it, we would be glad to have you with us.