This report presents feedback from Capital Growth food-growing spaces between October 2010 and October 2011. The first 1,000 Capital Growth spaces were asked to provide feedback on their projects, the support they have received and the wider impact of food growing. In total, 727 groups completed the survey, whose food growing sites involve 32,026 people across London.

Capital Growth is a partnership initiative between London Food Link (a project of Sustain), the Mayor of London, and the Big Lottery's Local Food Fund. It is championed by the Chair of the London Food Board Rosie Boycott and aims to create 2,012 new community food growing spaces across London by the end of 2012.

Capital Growth offers practical help, grants, training and support to groups wanting to establish community food growing projects as well as advice to landowners. Support is offered to new community food growing spaces, representing a diverse range of projects, boroughs, types and sizes of land, and community groups. The Capital Growth team works with local authorities, housing associations and other landowners, making under-used land available to growers, and to communities interested in growing food. Our aim is to create 2,012 new food growing spaces for London by the end of 2012 [UPDATE: This target was achieved in December 2012].

Report contents

Introduction

1. Key Findings

2. Capital Growth Spaces

• Project leadership
• Land ownership
• Other typologies
• Biggest challenges

3. Capital Growth – The People

• Local events and training
• Ethnicity and diversity

4. Wider Impact

• Social capital
• Employment, training and personal development
• Safer neighbourhoods

5. Capital Growth Services

• Most used services
• Most useful support
• Future role of network

Appendices

• Appendix 1. Online Questionnaire
• Appendix 2. Detailed Table of involvement by ethnicity

Capital Growth monitoring survey findings, Feb 2012
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