Anita Gracie Story
Written By Anita Gracie
I began gardening when I was three years old, helping my uncle in his garden and allotment in Woburn, Bedfordshire. He was a keen and competent grower, entering and often winning local garden shows. I became competent in selecting five identical pods of peas or wonderful sweet peas. I was also taught to layer carnations, graft roses and disbud chrysanthemums as well as grow superb vegetables. I loved it!
For the past ten years I have worked for a charity based in Islington called Octopus Community Network, on several projects all aimed at getting people outdoors, enjoying nature and gardening in one of the most built-up and crowded parts of the UK. Currently our project is all about helping local people to grow vegetables in whatever small spaces they can find, whether a window box, balcony, a forgotten street corner or community garden.
I have had a plot at Lawrence Street Allotments since 2003 and joined the Committee from the off at the request of Ros, the then Secretary and still active as our Site Manager. I became Secretary myself in October 2014 and am proud to have contributed to some highly successful community Open Days and Plant Sales. I have also played an active part in the Barnet Allotment Federation, judging in the Annual Plot and Site competitions, and delivering training workshops on veg growing to sites in Barnet, and Brent as well as for our own members.
I believe our site has gone from strength to strength since 2013 when we became self-managed. It has become a particular source of pride during this lockdown period when, as for me and many of our members it has been a wonderful refuge and place to enjoy the society of others in an almost-normal fashion.