WHO

Ground Works London – Play Sew Grow – Community Oven

THE BRIEF

We were approached by Groundworks London to build a cob oven at a the Three Mills Estate, Stratford community garden space called Play Sew and Grow, to work with Accenture, volunteers from the Garden and site staff to produce a cob oven.

THE OUTCOME

The site was cleared and unwanted rubble was collected and used for use in the plinth. A local resident had a quantity of unwanted used bricks which we collected and used for the plinth. These activities benefitted all site users and increased the area available to play to children and to the chickens on site.

Over 20 participants gained first hand learning and practical experience of core principles of our popular cob oven courses, as outlined (see Robin Hood build).

When in use, the oven will, when lit be used by cooking staff to feed and sell food to and volunteers, visitors on open days, help in towards fundraising activities of this community. Cooking in the oven will give a natural opportunity for diverse ethnicities represented in the neighbourhood to come together, cook together and share food. There was already talk of their running teaching courses to the local youth unemployed, especially boys who they wanted to encourage from the estate to use the space.