Pom-poms have sprung up across Islington to mark the coming of Spring. Bright yellow and handmade, these woollen bobbles are placed in parks and woodlands to showcase signs of budding flowers and plants. The initiative is led by The Garden Classroom, an Islington-based charity seeking to transform green spaces into well-used and well-loved areas, with hopes of fostering a greater connection between nature and communities.
The pom-pom campaign was started to “share hope and positivity”, according to the CEO of The Garden Classroom, Kay Richardson. “It’s been an incredibly difficult winter,” said Kay. The campaign celebrates the “cycle of life” and reminds us that “nature gives back”.
The pom-poms are made by the charity’s staff and volunteers, and handed out to local children, neighbours and friends. Each pom-pom has a brown label – space for writing a poem or a few inspiring words. They are left for a week to allow others to enjoy them, and then removed.
“I’ve become a pom-pom factory,” said Kay, who has two children and spends her walks placing the cheerful gifts across London.
The campaign has been warmly embraced by children and families across Islington. One mother and Islington resident took to Twitter to share her delight when coming across the pom-poms: ‘Lovely to find a note to remind us to enjoy the signs of spring from @the_garden_classroom #signsofspring #pompomwatch’.
Lovely to find a note to remind us to enjoy the signs of spring from @the_garden_classroom #signsofspring #pompomwatch pic.twitter.com/BISx2RDTkl
— Emily Khan (@EmilyKhan11) February 26, 2021
“If we can do it in the borough with the least amount of green space per head, then there’s no excuse for every other borough not to replicate it. Nature has such power to help people feel better” said Richardson.
