A women-only gardening group is opening up the world of food production to Newham residents.
Based at Cody Dock in Newham, the Sisters of Soil meet every Sunday to plant, tend, and harvest crops on a reclaimed industrial site along the River Lea.
The project is led by Basia Rabczuk, community participation coordinator at Cody Dock, who said the group offers an opportunity for women to engage with food growing in a supportive and empowering environment.
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Ms Rabczuk said: "Industrial agriculture is one of the biggest factors in contributing to pollution and destroying the environment.
"Historically, and even now in many countries, women are the main food providers. But there’s a lot of inequality in access to good quality food."
Last year, the group harvested 114kg of produce from just 12 square metres of land, saving an estimated 239kg of CO2 emissions in two months.
Ms Rabczuk said the impact goes beyond the environmental benefits. She said: "It’s a really cool environment, because we can take ownership of what we do.
"Some of our volunteers were born and raised in London and they never had access to a garden, so for them it's a big learning curve. The whole process is mesmerising."
Volunteer Martha Crass, who discovered Cody Dock while on a bike ride, now regularly takes part in the gardening sessions.
Ms Crass said: "It's a very relaxed, friendly environment. I like that it's time off my phone and I think growing food is something we don't do enough.
"Lots of people in London don't have access to their own gardens and green spaces so it's quite important that we have somewhere that we can use and grow our own food."
Some of the produce grown by the group is used in the on-site café, while volunteers also get to take home fresh herbs and vegetables like basil, tomatoes, courgettes, and beans.
Cody Dock, once an industrial gasworks built in 1871, was abandoned in the late 1960s. In 2011, the site was taken over by the Gasworks Dock Partnership charity, which has since transformed it into a community hub powered by solar energy, with a café, exhibition space, and gardens.
As part of Great Big Green Week, the Sisters of Soil will invite the public to a walk and talk event on June 14 to celebrate their achievements and introduce more people to urban gardening.
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