One of Clapham Common’s most cherished community projects has received national recognition.
The volunteer team behind Clapham Common Bandstand Beds has been awarded the King’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest honour given to volunteer groups in the UK. Often described as the MBE for volunteers, the award recognises outstanding contribution to local communities and few spaces embody that spirit more clearly.
From a Small Idea to a Community Landmark
Bandstand Beds began in 2012 with just a handful of raised growing beds beside the bandstand café on Clapham Common. What started as a modest planting project has grown into a thriving, volunteer-led garden that now plays a central role in Common life.
Today, the site includes vegetable plots, fruit beds, seasonal planting and a distinctive field kitchen all maintained and run by local volunteers.
More Than a Garden
Bandstand Beds has become a place where people come together as much as they come to grow.
Regular volunteering sessions bring neighbours side by side, offering a welcoming environment where experience is not required. People of all ages and backgrounds contribute, learn new skills and share the results of their work, often cooking and eating together using ingredients grown on site.
The space has evolved into a genuine community hub informal, inclusive and rooted in shared effort.
Why the Award Matters
The King’s Award for Voluntary Service recognises sustained impact, not one-off success. Bandstand Beds has demonstrated that over more than a decade, showing how community stewardship can enhance a public space while strengthening social connection.
Its success reflects a broader truth about Clapham Common: that some of its most valued features are shaped not by institutions, but by residents who care deeply about the place they share.
An Open Invitation
Bandstand Beds remains open and accessible. Anyone interested in learning to grow food, spending time outdoors or connecting with others is encouraged to get involved. No specialist knowledge is needed just time, curiosity and a willingness to contribute.
The King’s Award may be national recognition, but the impact of Bandstand Beds is felt locally, every day, in the heart of the Common.