METROPOLITAN PUBLIC GARDENS ASSOCIATION

GRANTS

The MPGA gives modest grants and practical assistance to community groups across London. The Association is flexible and moves with the times, while still holding firm to its core values. Each case is considered on its merits and in 2012 the following grants were made:

• King Henry’s Walk (Islington) Funded Rustic Ash Bench by sculptor Gary March
• Arlington Residents’ Association (Islington) Sponsored refurbishment of flower beds at Arlington Square
• Fulham Palace Trust (Hammersmith & Fulham) Funded planting of Bishop Dahlia beds in Walled Garden
• St Olave’s Church (City) Funded herb beds at the entrance of this historic churchyard
• Eden at St Paul’s Community Garden (Lambeth) Provision of bench for the benefit of local residents
• The Fircroft Trust (Kingston) Grant aided landscaping and planting at Firs Court residential home for adults with learning disabilities
• Mad About Meadows (Newham) Sponsored section of the Wild Flower Project created within the Olympic Park
• London in Bloom Made annual contribution to overall cost plus provided funding for discretionary awards
• Capel Manor College (Enfield) Provided final instalment towards upkeep of Peace Garden, transferred from Chelsea Flower Show
• Open Garden Squares Weekend Assisted with funding for advanced publicity
• The London Children’s Flower Society/‘Planting in the Playground’ Continued support for gardening facilities for children in schools
• Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens Funded two Prizes for horticultural exhibits at the annual ‘City Harvest’ show
• Spitalfields Crypt Trust (Tower Hamlets/Hackney) Sponsored gardening course for disadvantaged adults
• Hoxton Trust (Hackney) Sponsored educational grant for horticultural qualification and plug planting
• Friends of Archbishop’s Park (Lambeth) Grant aided planting of cottage gardens for project with young adults with special learning needs
• Friends of Windsor Open Space (Barnet) Funded bulbs and wild flower seeds to enhance Dollis Valley Green Walk
• Friends of Richmond Green (Richmond) Sponsored Queen Elizabeth II Crested Bollards on Greenside to commemorate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee
• All Saints, Margaret Street, (Westminster) Contributed towards new bench, pots and compost for Church Courtyard
• Bankside Open Spaces Trust (Southwark) Funded planting at the Marlborough Playground
• Triangle Adventure Playground (Lambeth) Provided bench for inner-city playground
• Crystal Palace Park Community Stakeholder Group (Bromley) Sponsored Interpretation Signage Plaques for 50 of the most striking trees in the Park
• Upper Street Association (Islington) Provided bedding plants and bulbs for Compton Terrace Gardens
• Friends of Waterlow Park (Camden) Grant aided planting in beds around Linnaeus Floral Sundial
• Friends of the Tarn (Greenwich) Funded shrubs and seeds for new flowerbeds
• Coleridge Primary School (Haringey) Sponsored building materials for weatherproof outdoor learning space
• Fulham Palace Trust (Lambeth) Made second grant for expanding the Dahlia Beds in the Walled Garden
• Twisted Stocking Theatre Company (Haringey) Sponsored a Willow Sculpture to celebrate the presence of the River Moselle which runs through several Haringey parks

The MPGA enjoys working with London's wide and diverse communities. It has been involved in high profile initiatives, such as The British Library and the Inner Temple Garden, as well as in schemes in socially deprived areas like the Tate Library Gardens in Brixton and Spitalfields City Farm.

The MPGA has the experience and skills to help with a wide range of initiatives, whether it be refurbishing a small neglected churchyard or funding planting at Lambeth Palace. The Association often works in partnership with local authorities and community groups, helping to organise campaigns where key community sites are involved. It frequently gives advice in conjunction with applications for Lottery funding and other grants and has found that a small amount of funding often sets the ball rolling and kick starts other initiatives.

If you want to find out more about the sort of schemes in which the MPGA has been involved, please look at the Projects page, where you can see some of the Association's recent efforts.

The MPGA would welcome hearing from amenity groups in London looking for modest funding or help with a site or garden which has been neglected or where improvements are proposed. Our Grants Application Form can be downloaded below and should be be returned by email to or by post to the Secretary (address below), to whom all enquiries should be made

• Download grant application (word .doc)