A volunteer-led community group from Willesden Green celebrated double success at the annual London in Bloom competition 2026.
The Willesden Green Town Team (WTT) won awards in two categories for its work improving green spaces and engaging with the local community at Willesden Green underground station.
One of the team’s chairs, Patrick O’Connor, has been volunteering with the group since its formation in 2012.
He said: “We are essentially trying to establish what Willesden Green could look like in 50 years time.
“I love the community and so pleased with all our new enthusiastic volunteers, the Gold was the cherry on the cake!”
O’Connor highlighted the group’s community outreach work and the number of active volunteers who continue to support its various projects.
The active gardener, who visits the platforms several times a week, said the joy of gardening comes from seeing the difference the flowers make to people passing through the station.
He recalled the day his daughter showed him a photograph of a climbing rose he planted on the platform that someone had shared on Instagram.
O’Connor said: “I felt great seeing that photograph because it showed that the garden has brightened someone’s day!”
The volunteers said they regularly receive positive feedback from members of the public passing by.
O’Connor added: “It really is so beautiful in the summer to walk down there, as it’s so fragrant with all the pollinators. People often stop and say they love what we are doing.”
Over the years, the group has worked on several community projects, with volunteers contributing their time to maintaining the greenery on and around the disused platforms.
The team received Gold in the ‘Celebration Stations’ category and Outstanding in ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’.
The It’s Your Neighbourhood award is London in Bloom’s community participation programme, run on behalf of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS)’s Britain in Bloom campaign.
The group achieved its highest scores this year, receiving the Outstanding award for the first time.
Celebration Stations is a specialised category focusing on green spaces within train stations and their surrounding areas.
The group entered the London catchment for the category for the first time and won Gold.
WTT is a non-profit organisation that works between Brent Council and the Willesden Green community.
Founded in 2012, its volunteers contribute to a range of community projects, including transforming the unused platforms one and four at Willesden Green Underground station into green spaces.
The team also receives strong support from local businesses, but despite the recognition, the group have faced challenges in their work.
The lack of a lift makes access to the platforms difficult, particularly when volunteers need to carry gardening equipment up and down the stairs.
Passing trains also present potential safety risks while they tend to the garden, while the theft of planters from outside the station has been another disappointment.
Looking ahead, WTT hopes to continue developing its gardens, working with local businesses and exploring new ideas for the spaces and have many ideas in the pipeline yet to come.
For more information on the Willesden Green Town Team you can find them here.
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