Voices from the Garden: Memories of Wildness
Written by Sam Ikhuoria
Voices from the Garden is an audio series created by The Rainbow Community Garden as part of the Newham Festival of Stories. Culture Within Newham then micro-commissioned The Rainbow Community Garden to create an in-person audio trail for all to enjoy. Each audio piece is also available to listen to as a ‘Blog’ on the Culture Within Newham website, or at the garden.
Stories from the Wild
What do you remember about being in a wild place? Maybe it was years ago, or perhaps it happened only recently.
Memories of Wildness gathers stories of people’s encounters with nature: moments where time seemed to pause, children shouting in the background, twigs snapping and feet running. These are small, powerful memories that connect us to each other and to the world around us.
Across these shared reflections, a sense of wonder runs like a thread:
“I feel in the centre of a forest. I feel the edges of epic worlds. I feel scratches from the branches weeping.”
Here, the wild becomes a place of imagination, a space where reality blurs with something almost mythical.
“I can see the sand, I can hear the sea wave on the sand, I can touch the water. I can hear the salt air and taste the salty water. I feel happy, alive, amazed.”
For others, the wild lives at the edge of the sea, the feeling of being part of something vast and timeless.
“I’m on holiday with my family. I’m in Ireland, age four. My dad was showing us where he learnt to swim.”
Sometimes, wildness is found in family stories, remembering moment of learning, belonging and place.
As the world changes, these memories remind us of what’s precious. The need to stay connected, to step outside, to breathe and to notice.
““I felt happiness to be outside in nature because now that it’s getting to another year, I feel like the cities are expanding, and I like to be out in the real nature and see the real world.””
You can hear more of these voices and moments in the embedded audio recordings above, part of the Memories of Wildness collection. They shared views of how we experience the natural world, not as something distant, but as something deeply personal and alive within us all.
Learn more about Voices from the Garden on their dedicated Project page.
About Rainbow Community Garden
The Rainbow Community Garden started in 2020, and is now run by a committee of local residents who run activities and events, and planning the development of the garden space for the whole community to enjoy. Follow them on Instagram for updates.
Visit Rainbow Community Garden and listen to the whole audio trail at:
Brampton Park,
Lonsdale Avenue,
E6 3LA
What are Micro-Commissions for Newham?
In December 2024 Culture Within Newham launched a new micro-commissioning scheme for grants of up to £1,000. The first round offered commissions to artists and organisations in the Green Street, East Ham, Manor Park, and Little Ilford areas. The second round of commissions was for Custom House, Beckton, and Royal Albert/North Woolwich.
The micro-commissions aim to support new ideas, providing an opportunity to build experience in delivering artistic or creative projects. Meet the rest of the Micro-Commissions on their dedicated project page.