Residents from the Isledon Village estate in Islington were very proud when their newly set up Parkside Growing Plot won a prestigious award last week.

Picking up first prize in Capital Growth's Edible Estates competition (Plants & People category), Chairperson Maria Pantelli said: "Firstly, on behalf of the tenants of the Isledon Village estate, I would like to say how much this prize means to us. We started the Parkside Growing Plot in June this year when we decided to do something constructive with some overgrown land on our estate. We have now turned this waste land into a thriving growing plot which is maintained by over 40 tenants – young and old.

The highlight so far for us was being able to use home grown vegetables and herbs to make salads for our annual estate BBQ. All the produce we grow is being used for community events and we are already making plans for our kids Christmas party.

We are already looking to the future and hope to add to the 6 beds we have at present. We want a special bed for the children involved, we have a vine growing and are interested in working with the Urban Wine Company to make our own wine, we are thinking about keeping bees, and are also seeking help in developing the neighbouring area to help local wildlife.

So not only are we now growing our own food on the estate with exciting plans for the future but we have transformed an area previously only used by drug users into a place that can be enjoyed by everyone.

Finally, I would like to thank Capital Growth for funding our project and organising this competition, the gardeners from Groundwork for all their help, Mark Rogers from Circle Anglia for getting us started, but most of all the tenants of Isledon Village for all their hard work in making the Parkside Plot something we can all be proud of.

National Housing Federation recognises Hackney growing spaces

Also this week, Family Mosaic was recognised by the London Head of the National Housing Federation, Belinda Porich for the support we have given to residents in growing food on our estates.

Speaking at the Edible Estates Conference, celebrating The Mayor's initiative to have 2012 growing spaces in London by 2012, Belinda gave a presentation on the benefits of allowing growing spaces to develop on Housing Association land.

She praised two Family Mosaic growing spaces in Hackney as examples of what can be achieved, Amhurst Park and Bethune Road (left).