This week (Tuesday 19 November), the Urban Farmer Project opens in the City of London as place to showcase hydroponic farming techniques and information on food sustainability.
Part of the Fleet Street Quarter Business Improvement District’s (BID) ongoing efforts to create a clean and green part of London, the new facility at the former bar within Landsec’s new Hill House development just north of Fleet Street is positioning itself as a place to learn, socialise, and create within a food sustainability theme.
The BID and Landsec have partnered with London’s Community Kitchen, founded by former chef Taz Khan, to launch the project which – at its core – seeks to address pressing climate challenges by transforming food that would have become waste into nourishing meals for those facing food insecurity. It also aims to showcase urban food production methods and raise the profile of alternative ways to grow fresh food.
Sustainability features of the Urban Farmer Project include:
- Square Mile Farms and the Urban Farmer Project team will exhibit the latest hydroponics technology and grow produce on-site. They promise to cultivate 5kg of microgreens per month, including spinach, kale and basil. They said that hydroponic farming allows for faster growth and higher yields than traditional growing methods.
- In partnership with Das Das Box, Mert Firat UN DP Ambassador for Turkey and the BBC Academy, an arts and culture community club will provide a creative art space for children. In the evening, it will host events for artists and community groups, inviting them to explore and learn about food sustainability.
- A farm shop celebrating British agriculture and local artisan food producers featuring products such as Enfield Veg Co, Lee Valley Honey, and Caple Manor Wines.
- A monthly farmers market to support local farmers and foster connections among those dedicated to sustainable food practices.
- WasteLab which will provide live plastic recycling demonstrations, featuring 3D printers that transform plastic bottles into new products, and educational programmes to engage local schools.
- Workshops and events focused on sustainability and the arts, promoting environmental awareness.
With a focus on combatting food waste and poverty, the Urban Farmer Project will utilise surplus ingredients to create nutritious meals for some of London’s most vulnerable communities. This food will be made available through a collaboration with Thomas Franks Foundation and City Harvest, a major London surplus food distribution centre.
There is an expectation the space will create more than 20,000 meals for those in need during the Christmas season alone
Lucy French, CEO of Fleet Street Quarter BID, described the space as “a coalition of the willing working together to drive positive change, setting collaboration, climate and community at the heart of an urban centre”.
Oliver Hunt, development director at Landsec, commented: “Not only will the Urban Farmer Project directly tackle food insecurity in the city, it will also be a space where people come together to learn, socialise and create.”
Khan added: “We aim to empower the community while tackling food poverty, creating an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive. This project is a vital step toward fostering a sustainable future.”
The Urban Farmer Project will be open to the public from 10am-4pm seven days a week, and launches with an exhibition of Polish artist Alicja Patanowska’s work PLANTATION. The work is co-produced with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, the Polish Cultural Institute in London, Let’s Art Foundation, and On & On Designs.
[image credits: Belinda Jiao/PA Wire]
