I'm a patient, can I join in and what's involved?

The Lambeth GP Food Co-op is an inclusive and open project for people registered with any one of the 45 GP practices in Lambeth.

If you would like to get involved in the gardening activity, make contact with your GP or the Practice Manager at the GP practice you’re registered with.

You may also turn up at any of the gardening sessions – details are available by clicking on the relevant practice in the Our GP garden communities section of this website.

Additionally, your GP may prescribe you to the gardening.

You can attend a weekly 2-hour session, normally in the middle of the day, that is supervised, often by a health professional such as a practice nurse, who will be experienced gardeners themselves.

"What I like about the gardening group is meeting people and they’re very friendly and easy-going and there’s not pressure."

Mary Coyne, Lambeth Walk Surgery Gardens

 

A conversation with Flora, Millicent and Gordon at Jennie Lee garden, November 2017

How long have you been coming here?
M: About three years.
G: I saw a leaflet advertising the GPFC gardening sessions.
M: Yes I think I received a letter from the GP surgery. Then we met at the corner surgery on Coldharbour Lane and walked over to the garden.

Why do you come here?
M: It's very enjoyable and therapeutic coming to this beautiful garden, full of trees and bird song. It's very enjoyable working outside in the fresh air. Putting things in the soil and watching them grow, you feel proud of yourself, nurturing these plants to maturity.

What are the benefits of coming here?
M: Not having a garden of our own, it's good to have the opportunity to see things grow.
G: Organic vegetables, this is key.
M: Yes organic vegetables free from pesticides. You know you are eating healthy nutritious food.

What have you grown this year?
ALL: Potatoes, tomatoes, Swiss chard, leaks, Russian and curly kale, peppers, courgettes, runner beans, cucumbers, yacon (a South American plant whose tubers are described as tasting like an underground pear: sweet, crunchy and juicy!) albino beetroot, khol rabi, chicory, lettuces, amaranth, cabbages, mustard leaves & winter salads, strawberries and herbs such as mint, basil, coriander and parsley.

What vegetables did you most enjoy eating?
G: The potatoes & tomatoes were particularly good, very flavoursome.

What are you most proud of or happy about?
G: Finally getting our wormery established!

What are your plans for next year?
M: We need to improve our bed infrastructure - replace frames & netting to keep out foxes and birds who otherwise trample and eat the produce.
G: Yes and experiment more with edible flowers, perhaps dedicate a whole bed to growing these.
F: Yes let’s do that! And it'd be great to have some sort of greenhouse/ propagator to better raise plants from seed.
G: Another idea we've had is to grow enough to be able to offer extra produce to local sheltered housing schemes, especially for their summer events.
M: Maybe they'd like to come along to our sessions and help grow them!
G: Yes, we'd love more people to join us.

 

Please donate

We need your money to help us to continue our work.

Please help us keep the Lambeth GP Food Co-op alive and thriving and enable us to build on the hard work, dedication and commitment of patients, volunteers, surgery staff and doctors and nurses.

You can donate with a card or Paypal. All donations large or small will be gratefully accepted.

Thank you

One off donation

Monthly donation

Every penny we receive will be spent on the work of the Lambeth GP Food Co-op, which is a non profit organisation.