Food From the Sky

Azul-Valerie Thome picked up the Community Award at the inaugural PEA Awards on on Wednesday 2nd March 2011 for her innovative community project that combines rooftop gardening with a retail space at a local London supermarket. Permaculture magazine's editors Maddy & Tim Harland were there to help celebrate.

The Community Award encompasses everything from allotment societies to clothes swapping events and lending schemes, and recognises individuals who actively promote more sustainable activates in their communities. Azul-Valerie set up 'Food From The Sky', in collaboration with Thornton's Budgens supermarket in North London. She created a permaculture community garden growing food to sell in the supermarket below while providing a learning and educational space for the different part of the communities.

The project grows vegetables, fruits, mushrooms and herbs grown to organic standard with children and other members of their diverse community – all sold through the store eight metres below every Friday. 

For more details of the project see www.foodfromthesky.org.uk 

For details of the awards and a full list of winners see http://peaawards.co.uk 

Photo Credit: Karen Cannard, Freelance Writer, www.therubbishdiet.co.uk