Global Generation, the charity running the Paper Garden in the Printworks, has submitted a planning application for a new, multi-use educational space to be located within British Land’s Canada Water Masterplan, adjacent to the new TEDI-London campus, on Quebec Way. Their new home will have a large shed, called The Paper Garden Shed, which will be a multi-use educational space with a community kitchen, storage and bathroom facilities.

The planning application seeks approval to transform a currently disused industrial storage facility within the temporary innovation hub into the Paper Garden Shed, creating a new more permanent home for Global Generation to host programmes and activities for local people. Global generation will embed learning and engagement in the design and building process, creating opportunities for these young people to co-design the space itself. 

Jane Riddiford, Founding Director of Global Generation, commented: “Submitting our planning application for the new Paper Garden Shed is a real milestone for us, confirming our commitment to the area and the people we serve. Our mission is all about collaboration, be it with British Land or the local schools and community groups we work with. With technology becoming increasingly present in our lives there is an even greater need for us to provide opportunities for children and young people to engage with and be inspired by the creativity of the natural world. Our move to the new Paper Garden will help us to do this by giving us a more permanent home.”

“What’s different about what we do at Global Generation is, not only do we change on the outside but we change on the inside too”
Ciara, GG Generator, 17 years

Global Generation’s overarching ethos is to bring together children and young people, businesses, residents and families to support healthy, connected and environmentally responsible communities and last year. They have been working with local schools and families in Canada Water from the Paper Garden in the Printworks since 2017, as part of a partnership with British Land which aims to engage local young people in their environment and enable them to shape elements of the masterplan public realm.  This year alone Global Generation worked with over 1,100 local people including students from BOSCO, Albion and Redriff Primary schools. They also worked with 100 local families in garden workshops and harvested 230kg of fresh food to donate to those experiencing food poverty during the pandemic.

The designs for the new Paper Garden have been created through workshops with TEDI and local young people participating in Global Generation’s Generator Program (called Generators), like Antony, who said “I want to feel the sunlight brushing on my face while I’m having a good time planting plants and cooking.”

Saul Collyns, Community Executive at British Land adds; “We’re excited to help Global Generation continue to be part of Canada Water. Over the past few years, they’ve been working with local schools and community groups to get to know the area, grow partnerships and develop programmes and activities which respond to the local context and interests, and hosted hundreds of local people in their space in the Printworks. The new Paper Garden will be created out of reclaimed materials from the development and will provide a fantastic community resource for years to come.”

To learn more about Global Generation please visit www.globalgeneration.org.uk