An article announcing the Telegraph’s third “Gardening Against the Odds Awards”, describes the Allotment barge, which was enabled in collaboration with the Shoreditch Trust and Capital Growth, as a good example of gardening in an inhospitable environment.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/9365944/Gardening-Against-the-Odds-a-place-where-hope-purpose-and-flowers-shall-bloom.html

CHUG recently appeared in the Hackney Gazette, in a none-too-pleasant article (Luxury flat owners’ horror as Regents Canal boats moor up outside their homes, May 17th, also posted below).

The Gazette pursued as inflammatory an angle as they could, and the print version was even worse, claiming that CHUG’s boats were ‘squatting’. They chose to omit that CHUG pay rent on the basin, and that the move was very temporary and brought about by works requested by Hackney Council. Thankfully, from the look of the comments below the Gazette’s article, readers were generally able to read between the lines.

What CHUG wrote to the Gazette

After being approached by the Quebec Wharf residents, the Gazette got in touch with CHUG to ask why the boats had moved. This was the reply we sent:

“We have moved from one side of Kingsland Basin to the other. The move was part of scheduled development works in and around the basin, undertaken by the basin owners, L&Q. Canals and canal basins occasionally need dredging as they fill with silt over time. As well as the dredging, new piles are being added along the length of the basin to support a new walkway as part of Hackney Council’s plan to open up the basin for public enjoyment. Both the dredging and piling works require the temporary move of our boats.

We have communicated as much to Francis Loney from Quebec Wharf. The boats are only in front of Quebec Wharf until the West moorings are rebuilt, due by mid-June. Some boats will remain on the East side, but they will not be in front of Quebec Wharf.

Since Quebec Wharf was turned from a disused spice warehouse into luxury flats some ten years ago we have not had any dealings with its residents – until now. We have lived and worked in Kingsland Basin for almost 30 years, and enjoy good rapport with our land-based neighbours who frequently attend our events and support CHUG in its various endeavours. Please find attached our factsheet to give you an overview of CHUG’s remit.

As we have also explained to Francis, now that the building works are nearing their completion CHUG is working towards returning Kingsland Basin to the delightful, green & tranquil place it used to be. We hope to engage old & new neighbours alike in this process. We have recently installed a beehive at the south end of the basin, and are gearing up to run more neighbourhood events this summer. Last summer’s weekend cafe on our allotment barge was very popular, as was the London Open House weekend during which we invited members of the public to view our boats, ran free narrowboat tours along the canal, and sold allotment produce & eggs from the basin ducks. With any luck this year we’ll be able to sell jars of basin honey too!“

CHUG’s reply to the Gazette, 14th of June:

CHUG's response

CHUG was happy to be asked to host this beautiful floating forest and glade during the 2011 summer.  The huge amount of effort and creativity behind the project came from the inspirational Kindest Group. Passers-by were invited to take a ride on the floating glade, along the canal a little way, until it reached the floating forest. Whilst falling for the calming charms of the water, and relaxing beneath the impressive plywood tree, people were offered a wooden symbol on a ribbon. Each symbol had a meaning to get them started, and forest passengers were asked to interpret each other’s symbols, before putting it around their necks and stepping back onto the towpath and into the real world. TimeOut blogged about the project, and Wired wrote about it too.