Rap star Chiedu goes back to his roots to support Rainbow Community Garden fun day
SUPPORT: From left, assistant gardener Emma Jenkins, head gardener Brenda Elm, Chiedu Oraka and freelance evaluator Christie Parkin
By Rick Lyon, Co-Editor
A community garden’s campaign to get more people through its gates has received a helping hand from an award-winning rap musician who now admits he never knew the North Hull Estate oasis existed – despite only living round the corner!
Chiedu Oraka, who performs internationally as the Black Yorkshireman and now has his own fashion brand, grew up in 21st Avenue and will next month cut the ribbon at Rainbow Community Garden’s fun day.
Now 37, he confessed: “I’ve heard about it in more recent years but I didn’t know the location, even though I used to lark round here when I was a kid!”
Chiedu’s first visit was to meet some of the staff and volunteers who are planning the event, which is free to attend, on Monday, July 21, and he was impressed from the outset.
He said: “It’s well kept and clean, and really calming. Good for helping older people get out of the house and for kids as well to get them away from their video games. People can come here and actually meet each other instead of hiding behind their phones.”
Chiedu has been making music since 2006 and released his first album in 2011. In March he was named Newcomer of the Year in the Northern Music Awards and he recently launched his own fashion range – the Black Yorkshireman Collection.
Before concentrating on his music in 2018, Chiedu worked in education, teaching at a pupil referral unit and holding a non-teaching role at a school in Hull.
He said: “I’ve also been doing a lot of work in primary schools around identity and pride in being from North Hull Estate. When I was growing up round here there was always a lot going on and a real sense of community. Now kids don’t go outside as much but this place can help with that.”
The fun day will take place from 11am and will double as the official opening of the new garden room, built from the generosity of community funds and private supporters to replace a shed which was destroyed in a fire in June last year.
Brenda Elm, head gardener, said: “It will also be the launch of our summer programme with the schools breaking up the previous week. There will be a lot of family activities, games, tours of the garden and a plant swap scheme which is helpful for people who may have too many of a particular type of veg or flower.
“There will also be some fundraising activities with the emphasis on fun, so hopefully people will bring some change, enjoy themselves and support what we do.”
More substantial support from the National Lottery Community Fund and a scheme linked to the Pillswood battery energy storage system (BESS) helped to pay for the new garden room.
Lucie Peralta Agass, head of sustainability at Harmony Energy, said: “We are delighted to support Rainbow Community Garden for the second year running through our Pillswood BESS Community Fund. The garden is a vital community hub that benefits both people and the environment, values that are at the heart of what we do. It’s great to hear that our donation has helped reinstate the building, providing much-needed indoor space for the community."
Brenda said: “We didn’t want to rush the replacement of the shed. We thought about what we really wanted and we’ve now got a bigger and brighter space. It serves as an office, meeting space and somewhere to sit when it’s chilly outside – all things that we had to try and fit into the greenhouse after we lost the shed!
“We’ve also had help from private donors and a lot of in-kind support. Unity in Community has been amazing, helping us to promote the garden and to run events when we couldn’t do them here.
“We’ve been here more than 20 years and we’ve had celebrations before but never an open day so it’s a chance for us to get more people involved. More support, more volunteers. We want to do more in education for people of all ages.
“It’s to help more people find out about what we do at the garden. There will be a lot of regulars here and hopefully we will get more newcomers like Chiedu! We’re really grateful to him for coming to see us and helping us say thank you to everyone who has helped.”
The fun day will take place from 11am until 2pm on Monday, July 21. For details visit the Rainbow Community Garden’s Facebook page.