On Sunday 1 February, residents across Waltham Forest, London, came together in a coordinated borough-wide action to plant edible plants on unused public land, calling for a formal Right to Grow and greater council support for community food growing.
The action, organised by Waltham Forest Right to Grow, supported 18 community groups across the borough to plant food in public spaces. A total of 92 edible plants were distributed to more than 50 local residents, who worked in small groups to plant on underused land in their neighbourhoods.
The Waltham Forest action forms part of a growing national Right to Grow movement, which is calling on councils across the country to formally support residents to grow food on public land. Right to Grow motions have already been passed by councils including Hull and Southwark, with other local authorities exploring similar approaches as demand for community food growing continues to rise.
Campaigners say the issue is increasingly urgent. The action comes off the back of a recent UK government national security assessment warning that global biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation pose a serious risk to UK food security, with rising exposure to crop failures, supply chain disruption, and global competition for food. The report highlights the need to strengthen local food resilience and ecosystem restoration as part of the UK’s response to these risks .
Organisers say the action was designed to demonstrate both the public demand for and the practical reality of a Right to Grow in Waltham Forest.
The Waltham Forest Right to Grow campaign is calling for:
- A clear and accessible process for residents to grow food on council-owned public land
- A dedicated community food officer role within the council
- A small start-up fund to support new and emerging community gardens
“People are already growing food, building community, and improving local spaces — often without any formal support,” said a spokesperson for Waltham Forest Right to Grow. “This action shows how much appetite there is for a Right to Grow, and how quickly it can turn unused land into something that benefits everyone.”
The local campaign says council response so far has not matched the level of public interest. Hundreds of residents have already signed up to support the campaign, and more than five new community gardens have formed as a direct result of the campaign in the borough in recent months.
“We’re seeing enormous enthusiasm from residents,” the spokesperson added. “What’s missing is a clear commitment from the council to support this energy and make food growing on public land easier, not harder.”
Waltham Forest Right to Grow is calling on the council to work with residents to create a borough-wide Right to Grow framework that reflects the scale of public support and the urgency of food access, climate resilience, and community wellbeing.
Plants were sourced from four community projects — the Community Apothecary, OrganicLea, the Tree Musketeers in Hackney, and the Welcome Garden — highlighting the strength of existing grassroots food-growing networks in and around the borough.
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