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The mental and physical benefits of being out in nature are well understood, but today’s children and young people spend half the time outdoors than their parents did. Screentime is often blamed, but another key problem is opportunity, particularly in urban areas like Hammersmith. Many homes don’t have a shared or private garden, and school gardens are often little more than uninviting concrete spaces.

When Hammersmith Academy opened in 2011, its outdoor space was almost bare. However, over the years, the school has created a colourful garden with an abundance of flowers, fruit and vegetables.

Gary Kynaston, Headteacher at Hammersmith Academy, explains, “It was very much driven by the students and a teacher called Patrick Kirwan. As the years went on, the garden got bigger. They invested in a greenhouse, raised beds and picnic benches, and brought in chickens.”

In 2017, Hammersmith Academy won the RHS School Gardening Team of the Year award. David Domoney’s Cultivation Street award followed in 2018, and in 2021, Hammersmith Academy was named Sustainable School of the Year in the Sustainable City Awards.

The students have full access to the garden, but it’s become far more than just a space to spend time in. Sue Beenstock from Hammersmith Community Gardens Association (HCGA) works in the garden two days a week. She explains, “The garden is part of the fabric of the school. Every tutor group comes out for a few sessions each year, 30 pupils at a time, to do real, hands-on gardening. I’ve had them planting potatoes, propagating olives, bay and blackcurrants, and doing other work. They also really love looking after the chickens and collecting eggs. It’s practical but fun. They show curiosity and they have a go.”

A gardening club meets after school each week; several community groups use the space when the school is closed; and pupils can also volunteer in the garden to gain their Duke of Edinburgh award.

Sue says, “I want the students to have a sense of wonder at how incredible nature is when they’re planting and seeing things grow. We’re growing lots of different varieties, including around 15 types of tomatoes. In a supermarket, you have a very limited array, because the produce is grown to last a long time on the shelf. In the garden, we’re growing for colour and variety and taste, which is much more exciting.”

Later in the growing season, the pupils will be able to pick and eat the tomatoes and other fruit. As Sue says, “They’ll have planted it, watched it grow and tasted it.” This year, some of the fruit and veg might need to stay in the ground a bit longer as Sue and the pupils are aiming to grow giant pumpkins, leeks and marrows.

We recently granted the school £5,000 towards maintaining the garden. Hammersmith Academy is planning to use some of the money to create a pond in a new wildlife-friendly area of the garden.

Gary says, “A lot of our students live in homes that don’t have an outdoor space. They can go to the park, but there isn’t a space where they could get gardening experience if they didn’t get it here. They’re gaining useful skills. A couple of students have gone into gardening-related careers as a result of being part of the programme. One is currently working at the Royal Parks.

“Gardening is also a mindful activity, which really adds to the students’ overall wellbeing. A lot of students say to us that they find it very calming. It’s almost therapeutic.”

The Kulan Foundation had a humble start as a space where young people could get extra help with their homework, but over the last eight years, it’s grown into a vital community asset. Today, it offers a range of services for people who are from a global majority background.

Most service users are on a very low income and they’re often experiencing significant hardship. The foundation’s manager, Ismail Said, shares, “They have low wages but high rent. The electric cost now is high. The gas is high. A weekly shop that used to cost £90 is now £180. Costs are doubling, but income is not going up. Many people are also supporting family back home.”

Quality education

Education is one of the best tools a person has to lift themselves out of poverty. However, many children need extra support that their parents just can’t give them. As Ismail explains, “The parents can’t help the children because they don’t have the English or don’t have the education.”

To ensure that children get the support they need, the Kulan Foundation runs after-school clubs in core subjects, including maths, English and science. The centre has seen young people gain top marks in exams and graduate from university in subjects such as law, medicine, midwifery and accountancy. Some graduates then return to the centre to give talks, which, as Ismail shares, “means that young people can see people who are the same as them, with the same language, who are successful.”

As well as giving talks, many of the young people choose to ‘pay it forward’ by volunteering in their community. Some coach the foundation’s football teams; others teach English or work with children at the youth club. Ismail says, “What we see now is that our young people are making more connections with the community, and becoming good examples for other young people.”

Adult development

Many of the adults who turn to the Kulan Foundation are not fluent in English, which makes it extremely difficult for them to find work. The foundation runs programmes to help service users become more confident in English, maths and digital skills, and to learn how to write a CV, apply for jobs and generally prepare for employment. Adults are also brought together to form social connections and enjoy leisure activities.

Mental health support

Ismail is seeing more young people, particularly girls, who have mental health issues, some of whom are refusing to go to school or don’t even want to leave the house.

As well as supporting the young people directly, the Kulan Foundation educates parents about mental health, including how to increase wellbeing, signs to watch for, how to talk to children about mental health and what to do if someone is struggling.

Hammersmith United Charities’ grant

The foundation is receiving a £10,000 grant from Hammersmith United Charities, which it’s putting towards delivering a homework club for disadvantaged children and teenagers.

Ismail says, “Hammersmith United Charities has supported us from the beginning. I think they were our first funder. They’ve made us strong and sustainable.”

Get involved

The Kulan Foundation is based in the basement of 108 Goldhawk Road, London, W12 8HD. You can find out more about the charity on its website: www.kulanfoundation.com. If you’d like to join one of its classes, email admin@kulanfoundation.com or call  07539989970.

We’re appointing a new Trustee, who will also join our Grants and Community Committee. This is a unique opportunity to join an established charity that combines housing, grant-making and community leadership.

We’re particularly keen to hear from people with a strong connection to Hammersmith or lived experience of the challenges faced by our community. You do not need to have been a Trustee before as we’ll provide full training and support.

You’ll attend eight meetings a year, (typically 90 minutes each, starting at 5.30pm) and be welcomed at other events. While it’s a voluntary role, we will reimburse reasonable travel expenses.

Please download the Candidate Information Pack for full details. The closing date is 17 June 2026. If you’re unsure whether this role is right for you, we’re happy to have an informal discussion before you apply.

We believe in a Hammersmith where everyone feels valued, supported, and empowered – a community where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Will you join us in making our vision a reality?

Life is difficult for many people in Hammersmith right now. It’s a challenge to afford the bare essentials. ‘Nice-to-haves’ are out of reach, even when they could make life easier in the long run. Charities are facing a similar issue. When core costs are high and teams are stretched, there’s little to no money available for marketing or communications.

At Hammersmith United Charities, we aim to do more than fund good work – we champion community organisations and raise awareness of the issues they’re tackling. With this in mind, we commissioned Media Trust and Constellation Films to create short videos highlighting the work of four of our grant holders: Sulgrave Youth Club, This New Ground, Barons Court Project and Nourish Hub.

You can watch the videos below.

We also funded Hikayetna to produce Arabic-language mental health videos, responding directly to local insight about the barriers faced by our Arabic-speaking communities when it comes to seeking mental health support.

The five organisations each came with their own priorities – reaching new beneficiaries, raising funds, attracting volunteers, changing attitudes – but collectively, these films go even further. They help to build a richer, more visible picture of the strength and diversity of Hammersmith. It’s a community we can, and should, be proud of, and one that deserves our support.

You can watch Hikayetna’s films here.

Film screening

On 17 March 2026, we gathered at Riverside Studios for a community screening to showcase the films, celebrate the work of the filmmakers, and bring local people together to spark new connections and open the door to future collaboration across Hammersmith.

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