Ham United Group (HUG)

Ham United Group
(including Petersham)

your local community group

care about where you live

Ham Library Garden

The award winning* Ham United Group (HUG) is a small, local charitable group founded early in 2006. Its purpose is to improve and enhance the environment and the quality of life for the community in Ham. HUG has 5 trustees and a wider circle of volunteers and participants in projects. The trustees and other members meet regularly at Redknap House. HUG has strong ties with the Richmond Housing Partnership and support from Richmond Environment Network in addition to communicating / coordinating with the Ham & Petersham Association and the Ham Amenities Group.

During 2007/08 HUG operated an organic community allotment in the grounds of Ham House, with kind permission and support of the house staff, a National Trust property with delicious fresh, local, organic vegetables being distributed to local residents who do not have the opportunity to ‘grow their own’. You may be aware that the National Trust is now rolling this out at many of their properties in the UK.

Due to expanding needs, the group is now in process of moving the community allotment to Grey Court School where it will continue to work within the community but also linking into the school. The site has been cleared and volunteers will be working over the summer holiday of 2009 to build raised beds and prepare the soil ready for planting. The school is also embarking on an ambitous project to develop a school farm, an educational and extra curricular resource to pupils of Grey Court School, members of the local community, other schools and youth organisations. HUG are actively involved in this exciting project.

'Watch this space - HUG allotment ground prepared and ready for construction of the raised beds'. Thanks to a grant from Grass Roots

To contact the Ham United Group if you would like further information of if you would like to get involved in the group's activities (the group runs activities on the last Saturday of every month) they can be emailed on link.

The above left photos show HUG group members working on the previous community allotment at Ham House. Above right a view of the community garden at Ham Library

Bird & Butterfly Garden at Ham Library

In 2008 the group obtained funding from Awards for All and embarked on a new gardening project to create a Bird & Butterfly Garden at Ham Library. The Ham Library is well used and serves a diverse mix of local residents of all ages. It is effectively a ‘community centre’ that integrates all sections of the community. Its grounds are relatively tidy considering it is in an area that suffers from littering and vandalism. But they are rather forlorn and lacking in interest. With the group's involvement this has now changed into a flurrishing wildlife haven and also enjoyed by residents.

*In 2008 the garden won the following awards

1) Britain in Bloom - Neighbourhood 2008 garden category - Merit

2) Richmond in Bloom - SERCO Environment Garden category - Bronze

3) Green Guardian Richmnond - Winner - in the Green Project or Group 2008 category

4) Green Guardian SW London Region - Commended (same category as No.3)

5) London in Bloom - Certificate of Excellence

6) The Joan Neale Award - presented by RHP (Richmond Housing Partnership)

HUG's past projects have included:

Children’s Craft Sessions (for very young children & their mothers)

Basketball with professional coaching for local children (Sessions for ages 8-12 years, 13-15 years & 16-18 years)

Canoeing with Thames Young Mariners for local children (8-13 years) funded by the Thames Community Foundation
Bulb planting on Ham Green – approximately 50 local children and adults planted bulbs in informal groupings under the trees on Ham Green in October 2006. They made a lovely show in the spring of 2007.

Community allotment at Ham House (with support from the National Trust) with a core group of 8 volunteers, assisted by their children and friends. Delicious fresh, local, organic vegetables has been distributed to local residents who do not have the opportunity to ‘grow their own’.

Sow a Seed in the Community – attendees at Ham Fair were invited to sow a seed (bean, sunflower, nasturtium) in organic compost in a pot to take home and grow on. Hug provided seeds, pots, compost & advice & encouragement.