Myatt’s Fields Park, Lambeth

Myatt’s Fields Park, Lambeth - article by Rebecca Samuel

We made a visit to Myatt’s Fields Park in Lambeth to see their lottery funded regeneration project and we were
inspired by the oasis that had been created by local residents in an area surrounded by many deprived
neighbourhoods.

The park is very well used and loved by locals who hold a range of varied events there. It is run by the Myatt’s
Fields Park Project Group and Lambeth Council who now employ a part time park manager. The park is a
vibrant venue for local community events and is now creating jobs in the running of the cafe and greenhouse.
The group actively promotes “local food heroes” and keen local gardeners also volunteer to help out at the park.
The next project for the group is hopefully the creation of a cookery school to run alongside the cafe and garden
so that cooking workshops can also be offered to the lcal community using the produce from the gardens.

The new one o clock club is a high quality small building, a meeting place for parents, grandparents and children
supporting the local community. It features indoor and outdoor play areas,small kitchen and toilets.

The park also has a wild life area, a meadow garden with pond and study area for local schools. This is found
adjacent to the cafe and bandstand that gets incredibly busy on event days. Revenue from the cafe and
produce sold from the park greenhouse is ploughed back into the Myatt’s Fields Park Project.

The project is a very inspiring success story, providing a meeting place for people of all ages, events to enjoy, a
place for gardeners both young and old to help out at work shops, a place of employment for those on low
income.

It is the garden that many people cannot afford to buy or maintain, it is a pleasure for all who visit. We are very
grateful to the park manager for spending a morning showing us around the park.

Here is a photographic tour..