Mushkil Aasaan Needs Our Support!

Mushkil Aasaan could be under threat because the Council has withdrawn its contract to provide social care to vulnerable people in our local community.

Of course the Council has a right to seek the best deal for constituents, but in this instance one wonders whether commercial expedience is trumping common sense in the Council's offer of the contract to non-specialist providers, who may lack MA's local experience, knowledge and cultural sensitivity.

Local people are getting together to try to get the Council to change its mind. 


The flyer above explains how to get involved in either the public meeting at Mushkil Aasaan on Monday or at the Council meeting on Wednesday of next week.

You can follow latest development on the Mushkil Action twitter feed and website.

From TTT's perspective we are incredibly grateful to Mushkil Aasaan director Naseem Aboobaker for her offer of free meeting space in the hall over the last 10 years, and provision of a space for Tooting Community Garden in the grounds of 5 North Drive for the last 7 years.  Many reading this will have been to Foodival, Restarts, Gardening sessions or other meetings all of which have been faciliated by Naseem's kindness and community spirit.

Now Naseem requests that the Council reinstate Mushkil Aasaan's contract and status as a Specialist Provider and TTT strongly supports this.  Do get involved if you can over the next days.  Naseem and Mushkil Aasaan have been a great help to TTT;  let's see how we can offer support in return at this stressful time.

ReSparkle! with TTT at Tooting Library, 2pm to 4 pm on Saturday 15th December 2018

All welcome to join TTT's free Christmas crafts workshop at Tooting Library, creating beautiful presents and decorations to take home.

We've been inviting everyone to ReSparkle! since 2012, and it's always a magical event.

 

When? Saturday 15th December from 2:00pm to 4:00pm
Where? 75 Mitcham Road SW17 9PD
We'll be upstairs in the lovely children's library.  
Free, drop-in and for all ages.

All materials provided - and everything we'll use to make beautiful creations is waste that's being saved from going to scrap.
"Reduce...Re-purpose...ReSparkle!"


Thanks loads to our partners at Tooting Library - if you have any queries, please phone the Library on 0208 767 0543. NB children under 8 must always be accompanied by a responsible adult.

Come and join the fun - please spread the word and tell your friends. Click here to read or download the poster.

Time for New Leaders - Could It Be You?

Transition Town Tooting is looking for new leaders ready for the AGM in February 2019 as the current leadership team will have completed their two year terms and we will be voting in new role holders. Do you fancy getting involved?

If you do you could be joining an evolving and collaborative team making change in how we live, where we live, in light of climate change. There’s a spirit of celebration and creativity in everything we do, be it south London’s biggest sustainable food festival, urban growing in the community garden, carbon reduction workshops or neighbourhood planning. We open up spaces for local people to connect with each other, imagine possibilities and make positive changes for the community and the environment.

We have evolved a system where 2 people share being chair of the group for a two year period and both of these spots are up for grabs in 2019.  We are also interested in hearing from anyone who would like to try their hand at being Treasurer or Secretary and help shape and re-imagine our activities and impact over the next two years.

You’ll be joining a great team of volunteers and core members who coordinate projects. There are also other ways to volunteer with us from just attending events, leading a specific event or perhaps you would like to try being the newsletter Editor.  

For more information about these roles click here.  

We would love to hear from anyone who is interested.  Even if you are not sure but want to find out more do please CONTACT US and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have, or alternatively come along to the next meeting on Tuesday 13th November at the Antelope in Tooting to find out more about these opportunities.

TTT's next series of Carbon Conversations is postponed until early 2019 - in time for New Year's resolutions!

We're postponing our new series of Carbon Conversations until the New Year.
Tonight's first session is cancelled, as are the following 5 meetings. The series of meetings needs a critical mass of local people to join in so we have rich and diverse discussions - we are nearly there but not quite for the series due to start this evening. So we will find new dates early in 2019 with that existing participant group, and encourage more people to sign up and join them. Let us know if you are interested!
Very early New Year's resolutions, anyone?
All the info on the six free meetings organised by TTT's Ben Cuddon in a recent blog post here. Just ignore the dates.

The facilitated workshops enable individuals to explore the areas of our lives where we can reduce our own carbon emissions: travel, food, domestic energy, consumption and waste.
During the six weekly sessions you'll discuss in a supportive atmosphere all the practicalities of making your own 'low-carbon lifestyle' changes. Making these changes is never one size fits all. 

A quote from a past participant:  

"The beauty of Carbon Conversations is the 

optimism, creativity and shared ideas" 

Pumpkin Party Sunday October 28th

Come and join our autumn festivities in Tooting Community Garden!

click for pdf poster

Following on from our normal open gardening session (11am-1pm) this Sunday, we will be celebrating all things pumpkin – you can carve your own creations into the pumpkins, help make some fresh pumpkin soup and learn how to make delicious damper bread over a fire. All activities are free and suitable for children and adults. And once you’ve enjoyed our campfire feast, you’ll be able to head to the annual pumpkin parade on Tooting common!

We look forward to seeing you!
Sunday 28th October, 1-3pm 
Tooting Community Garden, 5 North Drive, London SW16 1RL

We are POSTPONING our Saturday Oct 20th 'Local Stories of Sustainability Success' event

We're postponing this community event in Tooting until a later date.

We've had a number of messages that people would like to participate in our event but also wish to join the Brexit vote-related People's Vote March for the Future on Saturday 20th.

We want our Local Stories of Sustainability Success speakers to have the largest possible audience, and we'll get together to find a good date and share that asap. Event info here.

Thanks everyone for your support and flexibility, especially the fab four speakers!



Carbon Conversations, due to follow 'Local Stories..', will still go ahead starting on November 1st. All the info on this super free series of 6 discussions and action planning on our blog here.
To sign up or ask questions contact Ben Cuddon by email here.  
All welcome to join!

My Fracking Opinion, What's Yours?

Quite amazing in the week where the IPCC tells us we have even less time than we thought to take action to avert the dangers posed by warming of 2°C, that fracking is underway today in Lancashire courtesy of the delightful Cuadrilla Resources.  What planet are these people on?  Thankfully there are some brave people from our own planet out there (including a Transition Network trustee!) taking direct action to try to stop them.

Fracking involves the high-pressure injection of 'fracking fluid' (water, sand and a cocktail of chemicals) into the ground to create cracks in deep rock formations with the goal of extracting fossil fuels that may lie there, in the Lancashire case natural gas. It’s bad enough that fossil fuels lead to climate change and the associated disasters for humanity and the planet, but this special type of extraction can also involve the risk of earthquakes, toxic chemicals, water pollution and poor air quality[3]. 
On the BBC’s Today programme the Chief Executive of this life affirming operation, Francis Egan, was asked whether he would be quite happy to have a house on the site with his children breathing the air there and he replies “yes of course” (podcast here about 5m 55s in). What a great idea!

Surely this should be a mandatory condition of the granting of any fracking licence? Namely that the chief executive, indeed why not all senior executives of such a company, commit to raise their families beside fracking sites so that they too can benefit from the clean air abounding, discover new unusual chemicals and marvel at the array of visiting industrial vehicles, as well as anticipate the excitement of a potentially rumbling landscape plus aftershocks. I’m all for it but I wonder if Mr Egan and his ilk really would be?!  Methinks not, it is others who must take such risks for the sake of their profits.  But maybe I'm too cynical.  What's your fracking opinion?

Resources: 
1. More on fracking from the Guardian
2. Anti-fracking with Frack Off 
3. Fracking facts from Friends of the Earth & Greenpeace. 
4. In America meanwhile you can even light your own methane laced water

Restart Sewstart Reupholster Party!

The Fixed It List

This afternoon's Restart & Sewstart event saw a lot of smiling faces both on the Fixed It List and in the hall.  Thanks to everyone who helped out and attended!

While fixers battled to fix seemingly broken radios, lamps, toasters and phones, Shaz and her able helpers reupholstered a sofa that had been dumped in the street.  Check out the time lapse video of the work!

Phew, that's better!

At our events we aim to keep electrical or electronic items out of landfil by repairing them, and also mend and alter old clothing to give it a new lease of life. If you are just curious or would like to learn new skills come along to one of our Restart Parties

Our next Restart Party in Tooting is at Mushkil Aasaan on
8th December 13.30 - 16.30
and will include toy-mending as well - watch this space!

Restart Parties are a community self-repair space where you take responsibility for your own gadgets and data, so please don’t forget to take any back-ups beforehand, if relevant – and if possible arrive during the first two hours to allow time for fixing!   More info about Restart including details of regular skillshares at www.therestartproject.org

Don't forget more upcoming dates for you diary:
Local Stories of Sustainability Success is on Saturday October 20th and the start of a new series of Carbon Conversations on November 1st. 

Local Stories of Sustainability Success - four vivid can-do examples of reducing carbon footprints and increasing wellbeing

We're hosting a new free event: Local Stories of Sustainability Success in the afternoon of Saturday 20th October, from 2:00 to 4:00 at the Mushkil Aasaan Hall, 220 Upper Tooting Road SW17 7EW.

The event will illustrate vivid can-do stories by local people who have reduced their carbon footprints and increased their wellbeing 

Martin, Susan, Tanya & Dermot - clockwise from top left

• Martin Cobley and several hundred worms will demonstrate why he is the borough guru for how worm composting
• Susan Venner will share the steps to make a 19th century family house in Balham warm and cosy, emphasising how to tackle the high-impact things first. More detail on Susan's experience on the Superhome Database at https://tinyurl.com/y94mqnsb
• Dermot Jones will share his experience of switching to an electric vehicle. Dermot also tweets as @ElecticVanMan about the story of his first 4000 miles - and the myths and memes
• Tanya de Afonseca will share her own experience of reducing (refusing?) household plastics. Tanya's BYO Zero Waste Shop is in Tooting Market https://byo.london/

We'll discuss these inspiring examples of what can be done, share ideas, be energised, make some new resolutions & links.

For the 'Local Stories' flyer, please click here.

The session is designed for anyone who is interested in these lively local stories. You do not need to be an expert!
Please share with friends and colleagues who you think would appreciate the event.
Bring the family! We'll have a crafts table alongside for some making.

Thanks to the Zero Waste Shop for sharing this diagram of five core elements of zero waste.


We'll also introduce the next run of Carbon Conversations starting on Thursday November 1st. For details, click here. Please encourage friends to join in with this 13th series!

TTT's new series of practical & participative local 'Carbon Conversations' is running in November & December - you're invited to take part!

Carbon Conversations is back! Our new series of six free meetings in November & December in SW16 - organised by TTT's Ben Cuddon. 

The facilitated workshops enable individuals to explore the areas of our lives where we can reduce our own carbon emissions: travel, food, domestic energy, consumption and waste.

A quote from a past participant:  

"The beauty of Carbon Conversations is the 

optimism, creativity and shared ideas" 

During the six weekly sessions you'll discuss in a supportive atmosphere all the practicalities of making your own 'low-carbon lifestyle' changes. Making these changes is never one size fits all. 

Exploring your own situation, start point and preferences is so valuable and makes the series personal and practical. 

The meetings are well structured with a mix of games, conversation, debate, activities and exercises.


Click here for the flyer and here are the summary details:
Venue: in SW16 between Mitcham Lane & Streatham Common Station 
Timings: all meetings run from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm 
Dates: six Thursdays from Nov 1st to Dec 6th, once a week
Free: there is no fee to take part. The only cost is currently £14 for the workbook and learning materials, which TTT charges at cost. Sessions are led for free by TTT's trained Carbon Conversations facilitators. 
To join or ask any questions: contact Ben Cuddon by email here or TTT by mail here

TTT has run over 12 series of Carbon Conversations since 2011. 
On average participants are able to identfy how to reduce their own carbon footprints by a third - by over 4 tonnes of carbon.
Wait a minute! 
What does 'four tonnes of carbon' mean? 
You may already be worried about shorthand & jargon. The way we facilitate the meetings means that you do not need to be an expert. 
Although it's a complex subject, we guarantee that by the end of the sessions you will learn useful new language and concepts and understand the practical elements of household carbon reduction.

This series is a great place to start if you want to reduce your carbon footprint, meet some friendly and like-minded people and explore the topic as it affects you, rather than being lectured at!

As a participant said: 

"At the last session I don't think anybody wanted to leave!"

 Join us to find out how to reduce heat loss from your home!

Reduce Waste in Tooting at our fixing and mending workshop!

There's been lots of interest in reducing waste packaging in Tooting in recent months, whether its the new Plastic Free Tooting group on Facebook or BYO the new zero waste shop in Tooting Market. So we're delighted to be welcoming back our fixing and mending workshop which focuses on reducing electrical and electronic waste, and helping us mend and alter our clothes and household fabrics to extend their life.

So whether it’s electrical or electronic items that you don’t want to throw away or a sewing machine that is broken or you’re not sure how to us or maybe you have have a favourite piece of clothing that needs mending or altering and you’d like to learn how?

You might even fancy learning how to upholster a chair in an afternoon?  Or are you simply good at fixing and mending stuff (we're looking for people to join our growing team of volunteers!)

Maybe you fancy a cup of tea, a piece of cake and a chance to find out more about Transition Tooting and what we get up to?

If so come along on to Mushkil Aasaan, 220 - 222 Upper Tooting Road, SW17 7EW (next to Nando’s) on either ...

13th October 12.00 - 15.00 or 

8th December 13.30 - 16.30

 

Restart Parties are a community self-repair space where you take responsibility for your own gadgets and data, so please don’t forget to take any back-ups beforehand, if relevant – and if possible arrive during the first two hours to allow time for fixing!   More info about Restart including details of regular skillshares at www.therestartproject.org

Tooting Speaks! The big dilemmas of local food

30 passionate Tooting folk came to The Selkirk (thanks so much Ben and the team!) on Wednesday night to join our 4 fantastic speakers, Kemi Akinola, Robert Biel, Robyn Knight and Sue Sheehan, in wrestling with the big dilemmas of sustainable food systems and what we can do locally. Our title was "Local Food is an Expensive Luxury" and the discussion was hosted by TTT's co-founder Lucy Neal. If you're interested in these gatherings, they're part of our monthly Green Drinks at The Selkirk on the third Wednesday of every month, details HERE.

Local Food is an Expensive Luxury

But what was it that contextualised food as "local"? Our first speaker, Sue Sheehan (Incredible Edible Lambeth) opened the account with the hyper local - food grown by you as being an active form of protest - claiming the land and building personal resilience for healthy, home grown, cheap veg and against the power of advertising and convenience, after all, gardening is the most "therapeutic and defiant act as you can do" according to the ultimate Guerrilla Gardener, Ron Finley, watch THIS and "plant some shit". Switch to our second speaker, Dr Robert Biel, Senior lecturer at University College London and author of Sustainable Food Systems - the role of the city and we learn as recently as 1985, with population at 56 million, the UK produced 95% of its food from within its shores... a poignant and powerful statistic, particularly given the risk of a no deal Brexit and the threat that presents of us not being able to feed ourselves, which you can read more about in a recent article by Jay Rayner HERE.

Read on for LOADS more...

Thank You Everyone at Foodival 2018!

It takes many people to make Tooting Foodival happen.  

Here's a short thank-you to (hopefully) most of you!









GROWERS

Without your generous contributions of locally grown produce we would not have been feasting!

• Charles & Lesley, Foulser Rd - tarragon & bay leaves 
• Elisabetta, Dahomey Rd - Tuscan kale, cima di rapa, marrow, leeks, chard, pumpkin
• Jane, Furzedown - rhubarb, squash
• Tamworth Farm Allotment growers - marrows, squashes, cucumbers, peppers
• David & Mal, Ramsden Rd - radishes, grapes, tomatoes, runner beans, kohl rabi
• Kath, Khartoum Rd - beetroot, carrots, courgette
• Susan, Cornford Grove - grapes
• Michael, Ullathorne Rd - grapes, courgettes
• Hilary, Tooting - plums
• Tooting Community Garden, North Drive - blackberries, greengages, garlic, Picasso & Maris Piper potatoes, pumpkins

• Rachel, Tooting Bec Rd - courgettes, cucumbers, tomatoes, mini aubergines, chillis, peppers
• Richard, Upper Tooting Park - mint, rosemary, beetroot, courgettes, tomatoes, curly kale
• Chuck, Cornford Grove - sprouting microgreens
• Debbie, Furzedown - pumpkin, runner beans, cucamelons, squash, courgettes, apples
• Egle, Derinton Rd - pea shoots, mustard greens
• Susie, Earlsfield - carrots, yellow courgette, potatoes, tomatoes, runner beans, rosemary, sage
• Belinda, Beechcroft Rd - flowers, marrows
• Poppy & Teo, Streatham - patty pan & butternut squash
• Al, Tamworth Farm - snake gourds, squashes & marrows
• Sue, Furzedown - butternut squash, pumpkin, courgette, green leaves 
• Ollie, Clapham Junction - squash
• plus...Abel & Cole donated several boxes of organic vegetables when we were concerned that the summer's drought would limit the amount that community growers could spare us. Thank you so much!

CHEFS
Volker Nissen of Essential Ingredient for co-ordinating the cooking on Saturday with three notable local chefs: Manisha from Pooja Sweets, Rick Gibbs of Rick’s Tooting & Elisabetta Costantini from Minestra Supper Club.

Tooting Foodival 2018: Congratulations to this year’s Top Tooting Cook competition winners!

Thank you so much to the competition entrants, the judges and to the local enterprises who donated prizes for each class in the 'Top Tooting Cook' competition.

We had fabulous entries made with love and delicious fresh local ingredients...all adding up to good tasting and decision-making challenges for our panel of judges. The panel judged several classes as well as the overall 'Top Tooting Cook'.
Thanks loads to Bryony Williams for her beautiful photos in this post.

Overall 'Top Tooting Cook' Winner: 

Norah Jane Brasington - not only for taste and look of all her entries to three categories, but also for her exceptional use of locally sourced fruit and veg, eggs and honey. 

Her choices symbolised the fundamental reasons of this festival which are encouraging the community to consider sustainable living by Growing Local and reducing the air miles our food travels -  thereby reducing carbon emissions.

A fabulous example of a community action response to addressing climate change!

Winner in the Savoury Class:

Farhana Wahab who made delicious Spinach and potato burgers from locally grown vegetables. The judges commented that 'they are amazing and have great texture'.

Winner in the Dessert Class:

Rachel Crosby who made a blackberry and mint cake using locally grown fruit and mint. The judges were impressed especially by her beautiful presentation.

Winner in the Apples and Pears Class:

Norah Jane Brasington for her “beautifully moist" gluten-free apple and honey cake from locally sourced apples, eggs and honey! 

Winner in the Jams and Pickles Class:

Debbie Morey of Good Sorts won with her “delicious" Damson Jam with fruit sourced from a local allotment.

Special Commendation to ‘Baked Bean Boy’ for his hot kale and tomato salsa with “great heat”, all ingredients sourced from donations to Foodival 2018. 

The judges cogitate!

The audience enjoying a taste of the entries

Why not enter 'TTC' next year in Foodival 2019!

Yum!

Inviting you to our series of free local events this autumn exploring sustainability in Tooting!

We're thrilled with the fun and buzz at the Tooting Foodival last Saturday! Thanks to all who contributed their time, equipment, skills and produce to make it a success (see the I Grew This 2018 blog post).  Over 600 people took part on a sunny Tooting afternoon!
Much more to share about it soon on this blog.

The Tooting Foodival was the first in a series of free local events this autumn, all about exploring, influencing and creating sustainability in Tooting, together.


All invited to all of them!

Click here for a copy of the flyer.



The next event is a Tooting Debate on Weds 19th Sept:

'Local Food is an Expensive Luxury'.

Yes, we know.....that's intended to be provocative after the success of the community Foodival based on locally-grown food, local cooking and local eating together. 
Come along and share what you think! Details to come here on the blog.
The debate is on Weds 19th Sept from 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm at The Selkirk Pub, SW17 0ES

We'll promote and share details of all the other events in good time.

I Grew This 2018

Yesterday was another memorable one in the Tooting Foodival annals.  Full reports with myriad pictures will be posted on our blogas in the coming days but firstly thank you to our fabulous growers who donated home grown fruit and vegetables.  Without you the event is not possible.
We give you I Grew This 2018!

Whats on at Foodival 2018!

Running Order 2018

Foodival 2018 started this evening with the produce drop-off at Mushkil Aasaan. Left is the running order for the event including all the food, Top Tooting Cook and music timings.  Click through for the pdf.


You can also drop off produce  between 10:00 & 11:00 on Saturday, in time to have what you have grown included in the chefs' cooking.

We look forward to seeing you for the main event tomorrow from 11am until 5pm in Hereward Rd and Mushkil Aasaan HERE

Meanwhile ... anything left in the garden, window box or allotment?  Here are five crops I harvested just now!

Who's Playing Music at This Year's Foodival?

The Dermot Jones Meltdown™ showcases a variety of local musical talent at this year's Foodival, including Dermot himself and some artists so secret we cannot yet name them here!  Here is a taster of some of this year's acts.
 

Dermot Jones

Armed with six steel strings, a larynx, and a love of music stretching back to the 1930's - a little before he was born - Dermot will entertain you with his own original songs mixed in with off-the-wall covers and instrumentals from the worlds of Soul, Pop, Blues, Country, Folk, Jazz, Rock - but not JazzRock, sorry - Spanish, and Ragtime @DermotTJones

The Troubadours de l'Avenue Verte

The Troubadours de l'Avenue Verte, Jawadi Darabuka, Bain Stringy Thing, Longpela Pick and Blow are Lido regulars going out to play with a mix of of Irish, Disco, Rhythm and Blues. Just back from their European tour, where they eschewed a tour bus for three bicycles. 

Tai Li Ling

Tai Li Ling is a ukulele/guitar-playing Scouser specialising in Folk and Blues songs about her experiences living in the Big Smoke - when not in her day job at St George's University.www.taililing.com Soundcloud

Slim Estrada

Slim Estrada, deep south bluesman and Foodival veteran will be making his way out of the alligator-infested swamps (of Ealing) to join us again this year. We don't know if Pablo X and Washboard Bob will be joining him! www.slim-estrada.com

Emma and the Hot Tub Men play an eclectic mixture of original blues and traditional folk songs, with the odd French cover thrown in. Emma has a beautiful, original voice with a wide range and a soulful, yet ethereal tone. https://soundcloud.com/emma-and-the-hot-tub-men https://www.facebook.com/emmaandthehottubmen 

Vincent Burke

Vincent Burke recently discovered the fresh air and long walks of Summer Festivals playing Latitude Festival; some of the set went out on BBC6 Music and BBC Radio 3. He is well behaved, pet-friendly and occasionally entertaining. His music is melodic and not stupid, and now contains the added ingredients of double-bass and percussion.  http://www.vincentburke.co.uk

There will also be acoustic songs and edutainment from a mystery special guest. 100% British culture from a world citizen... expect everything from kawalee to punk via country ballad and beatbox. 

More information will be added to this post as we receive it ... The Meltdown has secrets you know!

Tooting Foodival Food: the Four Wonderful Chefs, and the brilliant local donors of prizes for the Top Tooting Cook competition

All about Tooting Foodival Food:

• Four Wonderful Chefs for the feast on Saturday 15th!
• Brilliant donors of prizes for the Top Tooting Cook competition!

The Four Wonderful Chefs

 
Volker Nissen (top left) is co-ordinating the cooking on Saturday, plus Manisha from Pooja Sweets (top right), Rick Gibbs of Rick’s Tooting (bottom right) & Elisabetta Costantini from Minestra Supper (bottom left).
Thank you all for sharing your time, experience & passion! 

The Top Tooting Cook competition (for details on taking part click here - and please do enter, just for fun of it) has some brilliant prizes for the different entry classes as well as the main TTC award itself.
In the generous style that we so admire in the Tooting community, the competition prizes have been donated by the local enterprises listed below. Thank you so much!

• Abel & Cole (who are celebrating their 30th anniversary)
• Al- Mirage 215 Upper Tooting Road, SW17 7TG
• Deelicious Nazish’s Kitchen 12 Tooting Bec Road, SW17 8BD
• Meat & Shake - Tooting 47 Upper Tooting Rd, SW17 7TR
• Nando's 224-226 Upper Tooting Road, SW17 7EW
• Unwined Tooting Market
• Walker Wyatt Cafe 3 Upper Tooting Road SW17 7TS
• Bring Your Own Zero Waste Shop Tooting Market

So much to look forward to: all welcome to the Tooting Foodival 2018, 11:00 - 5:00 on Sat 15th

at 220 Upper Tooting Road, SW17 7EW!

Join us to celebrate & learn about four of TTT's valued community partners at the Tooting Foodival

We're all looking forward to the FREE 11th Tooting Foodival on Saturday 15th September - for all the details of the Saturday community feast and more, scroll through our recent posts including our invitation to you to donate locally-grown vegetables and fruit, and about entering the Top Tooting Cook competition. 

The Foodival will be at Hereward Road and next door at 220 Upper Tooting Road, SW17 7EW from 11:00 to 5:00 on Saturday 15th.

We want to celebrate four community partners who are helping make the Foodival creative, relevant and anchored in our local community:

• Mushkil Aasaan
• London Sustainability Exchange
• Share Nurseries
• Think Outside

Mushkil Aasaan is a community-based care provider. The Foodival will be in their Hall on Upper Tooting Road and in Hereward Road right outside. Ever since TTT was established ten years ago, Mushkil Aasaan and the Project Director Naseem Aboobaker have been rock-solid friends and partners.

We've lost count of the number of times we have been able to meet or run sessions in their Hall! 
Mushkil Asaan gifts us the yearly use of the land where we run the 'all welcome' Tooting Community Garden, our weekly outdoor learning provision with Gatton School, and our Gardens of Sanctuary family days with refugees & asylum seekers from CARAS.


London Sustainability Exchange has been our partners in past activities on Air Quality and more. Throughout 2017 we worked together as LSx co-ordinated the Pollinator Paths Wandsworth Project which engaged 50+ home growing spaces via 4 local community gardens. LSx will be bringing Pollinator Paths 2018 - come along and learn to love insects!
You can do the pollinator recognition survey and sign up for further exciting involvement whatever your age or growing experience.


Share Nurseries is the social enterprise recently launched as part of Share Community.
Share Nurseries have supplied plants to us in many projects - all grown in Tooting with a tiny carbon footprint and a large amount of love, care and skill by Share's beneficiaries. 
Their plants will form 2 pop-up raised beds in Hereward Road, and the plants will be for sale later in the day on the 15th.



Think Outside is a local enterprise which runs and advises on outdoor learning workshops in schools, assists schools in raising funds for the re-development of outdoor spaces and leads gardening classes and related activities for the wider community.
Come and meet the Think Outside team: they are bringing some great activities from 11:00 until 2:00.
 

 

All welcome to come and learn about these enterprises and enjoy their activities at the Foodival on Saturday.

In another post we'll also celebrate the local people who are taking stands to sell their produce - there's lots to enjoy at the 2018 Foodival!