As part of Centre Court’s regeneration, a new mushroom farm is springing to life inside the Shopping Centre
Developed by Caley Brothers, the farm uses coffee grounds from local Wimbledon hospitality businesses to create the perfect substrate for growing gourmet mushrooms.
The farm forms part of Centre Court’s drive towards sustainability and a circular economy. A regular, almost daily crop of Grey Oyster Mushrooms is anticipated which will be sold back to local businesses at competitive market rates, encouraging the consumption of locally-grown produce in our eateries. Any surplus mushrooms will also be available for the public to buy from Centre Court’s ground floor marketplace.
This initiative is another symbiotic element of Centre Court’s vision to be a compassionate community partner, fostering environmentally friendly and sustainable local projects and increasing biodiversity in our neighbourhood. Once the mushrooms are harvested, their used substrate will be repurposed to nourish the flowerbeds and planting on Centre Court’s new rooftop wildlife garden. This in turn will nuture 50,000 bees to be housed nearby in three new hexagonal wooden hives.
Find out more about Centre Court’s exciting plans here. And stayed tuned for all the latest updates, by following us on Facebook, Twitter and Insta.
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The transformation of Hartfield Walk from a bland thoroughfare to a place where you can sit, play, get educated and pick up some delicious treats, came about from the request for more seating in the town centre, a greener environment and something a bit different. Love Wimbledon instigated the reimagining of the space at a time when outside spaces are even more important to us all, and the need to experience something different has grown stronger.
Hartfield Walk will be a space for the local community to stimulate ideas and encourage a shift in mindset towards a more eco-conscious life. Every aspect of the new space has been carefully designed with sustainability as the core focus, from bee-friendly and carbon-capturing plants, to furniture and seating which has been sourced from sustainable/ethical suppliers or been reclaimed, recycled and is biodegradable. New murals and children’s floor games have also developed the environmental language – more details to come!
The project itself was developed in collaboration with Wimbledon-based creative agency Firecracker Works, a majority local team, who have a dedication to sustainability and consideration of the environmental impact of the materials they source and use. The organisation has recently become a member of Isla, a non-profit organisation focused on accelerating and transitioning the events industry towards a sustainable future, and hence offers solutions that are efficient, economical, and sustainable.
Sustainable Materials
The much-needed seating in this space, has been constructed from oak, reclaimed from The Grand Union Canal lock gates. The gates are replaced every 25 years, and in the process, they are dismantled and the metal within is recycled. It is the metal content, bars and pins that create the black and blue tannin staining which you can see present on the seating.
The construction of the kiosks, planters and seating in Hartfield Walk has also seen use of locally sourced and responsibly grown timber and Oriented Strand Board (OSB). The former derives from well-managed forests and/or verified and recycled sources, approved by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), whilst the latter is a material made from waste – large wood shavings that are formed together to produce a sheet material. Plus, the kiosks have been finished with shade-tolerant meadow flowers covering the roof!
Decorating with a Difference
Water-based paints were chosen, where possible, to add a pop of colour to the Harfield Walk furniture. Such paints have a significantly lower environmental impact than traditional solvent-based products, due to their low level of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). VOCs are harmful chemicals carbon-containing substances that vaporize at room temperature and enter the atmosphere. Over time, these chemicals are be released into the air through a process called off-gassing.
Selecting paints that are highly durable, last longer and don’t require repeated cleaning, was also considered, to reduce maintenance cycles and limit the amount of paint used, on aspects such as the kiosks.
Eco-conscious Ambience
Outdoor festoon lighting will help to continue the ambience of Hartfield Walk into the evening. The lights are all LED, which is known to reduce waste as the bulbs rarely require replacing, and are also controlled by light sensors.
Plant Selection
The large variety of plants that can be seen throughout Hartfield Walk, include a range of climbers, bulbs, herbs, shrubs and perennials, species that are powerful in their pollinating properties and have bee-friendly flowers, as well as those which help combat pollution, such as Amelanchier and Betula. These plants can capture and temporarily hold pollutant particles, take up gaseous pollutants and absorb heavy metals from soils. 50% of the plants in Hartfield Walk are also drought tolerant, meaning that they can continue to boost local biodiversity, even in less ideal conditions.
Hartfield Walk will be fully open to the public in late March. Check our social media for regular updates.
Remember to Love Wimbledon, Be Local and Love Local.
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The global frenzy of Black Friday will be returning this year on November 27th, why not think and act sustainably by opting for a Green Friday instead?
Green Friday aims to help raise awareness around the environmental impact of Black Friday, especially from online sales delivered through national distribution centres.
This year, Covid-19 has massively affected shopping habits so that more consumers are purchasing products online for delivery, so the environmental cost of online Black Friday shopping is elevated.
With the festive season fast-approaching and many of us beginning to rack our brains for gift ideas for our loved ones, let’s shop smart, shop green and shop local this Christmas.
Why Shop Local
When you shop local, your money also stays local and goes into the community – including the pockets of our small and independent businesses. VISA reports that for every £10 we spend with a local business, more than a third (£3.80) stays within the area, showing the true value of shopping locally.
Local businesses also tend to be smaller and produce less waste, less air pollution and less traffic than their enormous counterparts. Choosing to buy locally rather than online, leads to less deliveries and delivery vans on our roads, thus less CO2 emissions – plus less packaging!
Many of our small businesses have shown great resilience to the constantly changing times through this pandemic, including offering click and collect/takeaway/delivery services during lockdown. So before clicking on that internet basket, remember that within a 15 minute walk or cycle, there are several businesses in Wimbledon still offering great services/products, providing local jobs and supporting our community.
Lockdown has made us all appreciate the outdoors more and embrace the need for daily exercise. Shopping locally is a great way to incorporate exercise into our daily lives. Opt to walk or cycle into Wimbledon, taking advantage of the many cycle racks available in town and enjoying the brilliant cultural sites on offer.
Shop Green
Looking to tick off items on your Christmas gift shopping list? Shop green instead with the wealth of sustainable ranges offered by our stores in Wimbledon and give a gift that goes a long way.
Get some inspiration here including Lush’s ‘Naked Skin Care’ collection and JoJo Maman Bebe’s ‘Polarfleece’ children’s clothing, made entirely from recycled plastic bottles!
Zero, Wimbledon’s first zero-waste shop will be opening in Centre Court Shopping Centre this Saturday, offering a simple alternative to excessive single-use packaging consumption with a wide range of ready-to-go bulk items. Their Zero Waste Kits make the perfect gift for the eco-conscious!
Shop local this Christmas for the future of our town.
#LoveLocal #ShopLocal #GreenFriday
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Sustainable Merton, the borough’s leading environmental charity, is excited to announce the launch of Refill Merton, the latest addition to their #PlasticFreeMerton campaign. Sustainable Merton, the borough’s leading environmental charity, is excited to announce the launch of Refill Merton, the latest addition to their #PlasticFreeMerton campaign.
Research shows that despite more people than ever carrying reusable water bottles, over 71% of us feel uncomfortable asking for a refill at restaurants, cafes and bars, if we’re not buying something at the same time.
Plastic bottles now make up one-third of all ocean plastic pollution and there are now over 159 plastic bottles for every mile of beach in the UK. The overall impact on our wildlife is catastrophic, with 100,000 marine mammals and turtles and 1 million seabirds being killed by plastic pollution every year.
Sustainable Merton, the borough’s leading environmental charity, is excited to announce the launch of Refill Merton. This national award-winning scheme by City to Sea, tackles plastic pollution at the source. Through bringing a local Refill chapter to Merton, Sustainable Merton aims to disrupt the social norm of buying bottled water when on-the-go, and make carrying a reusable bottle the new normal.
How does Refill work?
Through the Refill App, you will be able to easily identify friendly local Refill Stations where you can ask for free tap water.
By using the Refill App and saying no to single-use plastic, you are helping to protect our oceans, combating climate change, and saving money all at the same time.
There are currently 28 venues in Wimbledon offering free water refills, with many more joining soon. Download the Refill App for the location of your nearest Refill station.
“Combatting plastic pollution is an issue that is close to the heart of many of our volunteers. If this is something that you are passionate about, consider joining us as a Community Champion. We will help you become an ambassador for sustainability in your community.”
– Rachael Edwards, Community Champions Project Manager and Volunteer Coordinator at Sustainable Merton
Refill Merton will officially be launching on Wednesday 22nd January, 11am-2pm (inside Centre Court Shopping Centre, Wimbledon – outside Lakeland).
Come out to learn more, take a plastic-free pledge, and help Sustainable Merton combat plastic pollution one Refill at a time!
‘It’s Oh So Quiet’ is new wall art installation in Wimbledon Town Centre, created by Love Wimbledon, in collaboration with artist Louis Masai and local photographer and culture campaigner Cindy Sasha. This piece aims to raise awareness of the decline of British birds in London, particularly the House Sparrow, renowned for its birdsong and seen as a vital part of urban life.
Brought to life by a London-based artist, often best known for his dynamic and inspiring wall murals of endangered animals, ‘It’s Oh So Quiet’ features a male house sparrow and female house sparrow inferring the question of ‘where has the sparrow song gone’. Based on the hit single ‘It’s Oh So Quiet’ by Icelandic musician Björk, the art reflects how birdsong has reduced over time, due to the population decline of this bird species.
The disappearance of birdsong could have a profound impact on human health. The natural sounds of birdsong have been linked to improved mental and emotional health amongst humans. Hearing birdsong allows us to connect with the natural world and can be the perfect antidote to the pressures of modern life.
According to The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), there is a severe decline in the UK house sparrow population, estimated as dropping by 71 per cent since 1977. This has led to the RSPB now red-listing House Sparrows as a species of high conservation concern.
Rather than adopting the newer patchwork style, seen in much of Louis Masai’s more recent work, the artist drew on a more realistic, older style of painting to embody the central message of this piece – the critical situation facing British birdlife. Louis Masai is a London-based painter, sculptor and street artist, who uses his art in the form of murals, paintings and installations to highlight and initiate discussion surrounding climate change, endangerment of species, conservation and species equality.
Wimbledon has seen a renaissance in cultural experiences ranging from music, theatres, art galleries and literary festivals. It is a place where there is often more than what meets the eye. As said by Cindy Sasha, “street art can change a landscape of a town centre. I love it when the love spreads through art and sends such a positive message – we need more of it!”. Love Wimbledon create and fund a variety of cultural and environmental notions including the first rainbow pedestrian crossing in the UK, in partnership with Merton Council, to show support to the LGBTQ community in Wimbledon Town Centre. Find out more here.
“This collaboration has brought an important message to Wimbledon, whilst also developing a stronger and more vivid cultural strategy for visitors to experience the town centre. The art is impactful, meaningful and has had a positive response from business, visitors and local residents. We were pleased to hear we have a crew of House Sparrows in Wimbledon Town Centre – something to be truly celebrated.”
Sally Warren, Love Wimbledon
Find this new street art piece on Alwyne Road, off Wimbledon Hill Road, in Wimbledon Town Centre, and help to spread this message. Watch the public reaction to the art.
https://lovewimbledon.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/test-e1576583499564.jpg369600lovewimbledon/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/LW-RGB-Web-1-300x212.giflovewimbledon2019-12-16 16:06:052020-01-13 11:56:42‘It’s Oh So Quiet’ Street Art
In light of the fast-approaching Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas Day, Love Wimbledon is urging consumers and businesses to shop local this festive season and help to support local businesses in Wimbledon Town Centre.
It is evident that online shopping has become increasingly popular in recent years, with buying behaviour changing rapidly too. Now more than ever, consumers are buying and returning more items online, with next-day delivery and free returns becoming the new standard. Often shoppers buy clothes online with the expectation of returning them, with recent figures suggesting that almost half of what consumers spend online, is returned.
What is often forgotten is the environmental impact of these few mouse clicks, which is becoming increasingly relevant given the current state of climate change. Despite its advantages, shopping online has a large impact on the environment. When you shop online, you can receive separate packages within multiple deliveries, typically from delivery trucks or vans. In addition to this, additional packaging which often includes single-use plastic, is used in excess to protect products in parcel deliveries. Compare this to shopping locally, where consumers tend to use their one trip to their local town centre to combine tasks, e.g. purchase Christmas presents, grab some groceries and browse through a bookstore.
When you shop local, your money also stays local. In other words, rather than adding to the profits of multi-national chains, your money goes into the pockets of your neighbours in the community. By choosing to shop local your money could be helping a family-run independent business, who’s owners are trying to fund a new bike for their child. Local businesses tend to be smaller, produce less waste than their enormous counterparts, and usually buy locally, live locally, and therefore create less air pollution and traffic.
Helen Clark Bell, CEO of Love Wimbledon is passionate about environmental issues
“Shopping locally at our independent businesses, charity shops and our market stalls, you are helping to keep the character and diversity of our town centre alive. Shopping online also means losing out on receiving great customer service and often, local businesses offer good value and outstanding, personal service all year round, bringing a warm, welcoming personality to a town centre whilst building that all important sense of community and belonging”
– Helen Clark Bell, CEO of Love Wimbledon.
Love Wimbledon also encourages you to go one step further this Black Friday and Cyber Monday, by resisting the urge to buy more and instead opting for recycling or reusing gifts. So shop smart and shop local this season, and help reduce the demand for new products, and their carbon footprint, whilst supporting a good cause.
And don’t forget to visit our lively Christmas Markets, which are now single-use plastic free, where you can pick up unique handmade gifts from local artisans and taste flavourful street food from our award-winning traders.
Join our vision to ensure a brighter future for Wimbledon and help to strengthen our town centre businesses.
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