Spike Community Gardens Permaculture course January to June 2008. I was initially approached by the Spike community after successfully participating in the Urban Green Fair and attracting funders like the Scarman Trust. When I accepted their invitation and met up with Donna and Sarah there was only one real issue on the table, although it wasn’t truly apparent until later. That was to create a permaculture garden at one end of the site. Although in fairness and honesty of their incredible work, the whole length of the site already had a garden. The site has been well documented, but despite the popularity of the community and the necessity of such a resource in the heart of Peckham, the council were stipulating a sale deadline and offered the community first refusal. Now, considering that this community had squatted the area for 7 years previously there is a great sense of politics and wit about the place. My task was to introduce to the community a refreshing permaculture outlook, and at the same time extend the work of Donna and others who maintain the gardens. The short introductory did little more than lip service, and it became apparent that they wanted action. This is in the backdrop of an already very popular dojo and rehearsal/recording studios.