Who are we?
Today we’re a charity, supported by a group of trustees comprising of local people and organisations who support Archbishop’s Park as a valuable environmental resource for everyone. Although we continue to promote the park’s regeneration, the focus is about health and well-being – getting outside, staying healthy and feeling part of a community.
We promote inclusion through our weekly gardening club, supporting members of the local community, including adults with mental health issues.
Set up in 2000, we’ve achieved a lot over the last 20 years or so and remain one of London’s prized Green Flag award-winning parks.
We are self-funding and finance our activities from a variety of grants, donations and income from our honey and homemade jams and chutneys. Our current funders are Changing Lives (Lambeth), the City Bridge Trust, Awards for All, Cicley Northcote, and the London Eye Community Chest.
Our Supporters:
Funding
Our Team
-
![]()
Helen
I am originally from Yorkshire, but have lived in London most of my adult life and set up the gardening club in 2004 for local people. Green space is such a premium in London as many residents are without their own garden. The park is our own backyard where we can share simple pleasures such as playing with our family, walking the dog, kicking a ball or admiring the flowers. As Chair of the Friends, I started from nothing and taught myself how to fundraise and set up a basic gardening club consisting of a few raised beds for growing flowers and vegetables. Then a local resident and NHS employee whose work supported mental well-being, suggested bringing a few people to the club as he thought they would enjoy gardening and being outdoors. The rest as they say is history.
-
![]()
Nicky
I joined APCT in November 2024. I also co-ordinate another community gardening project in London, and previously ran my own eco-friendly gardening business. I came to horticulture having worked for many years in mental health care, and I really enjoy seeing the benefits being outdoors, connecting with nature, and with each other, can have for peoples' mental and physical wellbeing.
Partnerships
We partner with organisations in the local community who work with people who would benefit from attending our gardening club, including South London and Maudsley NHS Trust (SLAM) and Mind. If you work for an organisation and feel your clients might be interested in attending the gardening club, then please do get in touch to find out more.
Our history
Archbishop’s Park Community Trust (formally the Friends) was founded in 2000 by a small group of local park users concerned about its neglected state and lack of facilities. The playground was old, the seating broken and the gardens dark and overgrown.
Over the last 20 years, the Friends have independently raised over £1M to create what you see today - thriving gardens including a wildlife area with pond to support frogs and toads; an orchard and apiary managed by Bee Urban in Kennington; an amazing playground, seating and converted an old container which we now use for educational activities. We have worked with the London Borough of Lambeth on joint activities including the regeneration of the original 1930s shelter, the gates on Lambeth Road, walkways and planting to support wildlife and today work in partnership to create positive change.
