Member Spotlight: Bandstand Beds Association Community Garden

We are very proud to have Bandstand Beds in our Capital Growth network and want to highlight the important work they are doing.

The Bandstand Beds Association (BBA) was established in 2012 by a passionate group of local gardeners keen to create opportunities for people to get outdoors, grow their own food, connect with nature, and build community. 

With early support from Lambeth Council, BBA created fruit-growing areas, and eventually was granted a new larger space on the derelict land at the Clapham Common waste site. By 2021, the group had developed a lottery-funded polytunnel, a kitchen in a converted shipping container, on-site toilet facilities, and three large composting bays.

Fast forward to 2025, and the garden could be described as a fully developed, welcoming space where people come together to grow food, support biodiversity, and build connections. In addition to their work at Clapham Common, the group still maintains the fruit beds near the bandstand and collaborates with the local homelessness charity, Ace of Clubs, to run volunteering sessions.

BBA's Andrew & Baily serving food from field kitchen

Want to get involved?

Bandstand Beds offers several weekly sessions where you can get in the soil and join in:

• Mondays 2–4pm: 55+ Gardening with Froglife’s Wild Times (February to December)

• Wednesdays 5–7pm: Evening gardening followed by a 20-minute meditation (summer months only)

• Saturdays 9:30am–1pm: Main session of the week (Late January to early December), usually includes homemade soup or a shared lunch using garden produce

Not looking to volunteer? You can still swing by on Saturdays to pick up fresh produce, plants, pickles, chutneys, and jams, all made with love from the garden produce. They are tried and tested with Capital Growth’s Officer, Lula, describing them as “highly tasty!”

BBA Volunteers at the Ace of Clubs Community Garden

Bandstand Beds is not only admired by fellow community growers across London but is also award-winning! Their impressive accolades include: 

• RHS London in Bloom Outstanding Award – 2023 & 2024

• Nomination for the King’s Award for Voluntary Service

• Chair David Dandridge was awarded the Lambeth Civic Awards: Volunteer of the Year 2024 and British Empire Medal in the 2025 New Year Honours List for his services to Clapham. 

Want to get involved or learn more? Visit the garden during one of the sessions, or contact their team via their website or social media and become a member. Everyone is welcome, no green thumb required!