Old Tidemill Gardens
In 2014 I took part in a community project at Old Tidemill Gardens in Deptford. This garden and its wildlife and community has sadly been destroyed by Lewisham Council to make way for luxury apartments, despite the desperate lack of green spaces in the area.
The project was supported by Topps Tiles, who donated surplus materials for the construction of the sculpture. The sculpture was built by members of the community during drop in workshops held on Saturday afternoons. Tasks people could get involved with included concreting the exterior of the sculpture, mosaicing onto pieces of mesh, grouting and also cleaning and polishing the sculpture. People who attended included old age pensioners, young parents and their children, teenagers, members of the garden gym and unemployed people.
The sculpture served as a meeting point and way marker for other activities in the garden.
More about the story of the Old Tidemill Gardens can be seen on their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/oldtidemillgarden/
