Recent Awards

The 2015 Savills Award went to Kings Hedges Family Support Project provides a range of informal support services for families in Kings Hedges, Chesterton and Abbey. Many of the families living in these wards face high levels of deprivation and need, which can lead to difficulties in parenting. Families are encouraged to grow and develop their own skills and support networks within the local community. They support many families with relationship breakdowns, housing issues, drug and/or alcohol dependency, domestic violence, mental health issues and financial hardship.

They have use of a small garden area at Brown's Field Community Centre, where drop-ins are held. They engage the children in sowing seeds, weeding, watering and harvesting a range of vegetables, including courgettes, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, spinach, and a range of herbs. Many of the families accessing their service do not have gardens at home and have little knowledge of home grown foods.  The vegetables that are grown are eaten by the members at healthy lunch sessions.  "My daughters really enjoy this organic process, planting, getting hands muddy, watering and picking their harvest."

The Savills Cambridge Grassroots Environment Award will be used to buy seeds / plants / compost and gardening equipment to prepare for the summer harvest.

The 2014 Savills Award went to Friends of Midsummer Common to establish a wild flower meadow in the part of the Community Orchard nearest Newmarket Road.

The 2013 Savills Award went to Homerton Children's Centre towards providing a sandpit, water play area, gardening and digging plots as well as tools and equipment for the garden space in 'The Nest'.

The 2012 Savills Award went to the Wisbech Street Pride Group to create a bee garden on a plot of land next to a large car park in Wisbech. The Garden was designed to attract birds, bees and butterflies with an interpretation board to give the general public information about the feature.