Rockingham Garden Estate Fundraising Calendar

Case Study:  Rockingham Garden Estate + Tradeprint

The Rockingham Garden Estate Project

Rockingham Garden Estate, a housing estate in Southwark, London, is home to one of the capital’s most remarkable community-led conservation stories. What began in 2012 as a simple allotment project between two long-time residents,  Winston and Ian, has grown into a decade-long transformation that has fundamentally changed the character and ecology of the estate across 68 hectares.

Find out about them here: The Elephant Gardener or on Instagram 

Over ten years, residents and volunteers have built two allotments, planted more than 60,000 plants, established 1.2 kilometres of native hedgerow, developed 10 distinct garden zones with their own names, created wildlife ponds and an apiary, and planted 100 fruit trees across the estate’s 68 hectares. Southwark Council ecologists have since collaborated on a formal Ecology Plan and Vision 2025–2030, and Rockingham is now being considered for designation as a Site of Important Nature Conservation (SINC). It is also the first estate of its kind accepted into the National Garden Scheme.

Nature calms and engages, bringing communities together, and an area that once languished now has a united sense of pride.

Community & Social Impact

The project has united all ages across the estate, creating shared green spaces where residents grow, harvest, and enjoy fresh fruit and vegetables together. The transformation has introduced a palpable sense of quiet, safety, and calm — which in turn has had a measurable positive effect on reducing anti-social behaviour. Volunteer days, corporate events, and school education days ensure the estate continues to inspire new participants year on year.

The project is supported by a wide network of organisations, including the National Garden Scheme, Southwark Council, London Beekeepers, Butterfly Conservation, Froglife, Bankside Open Spaces Trust, Goldsmiths University, and others.

How Tradeprint Helped

For their 2026/2027 fundraising initiative, the Rockingham Garden Estate team created a stunning wall calendar featuring photography of their thriving gardens, a beautiful showcase of the biodiversity they have nurtured over more than a decade.

Tradeprint was proud to be chosen as their print partner. As a community-led charity project, Rockingham Garden Estate qualified for Tradeprint’s dedicated charity tier, which provides a 15% discount across eligible print products. This meant more of every calendar sale went directly back into funding the gardens, volunteer programmes, and conservation work that make the estate so special.