South Tottenham station garden reaches the World Cup of Stations final 20

South Tottenham London Overground station is one of 20 finalists in this year’s World Cup of Stations. It was shortlisted for the community garden its own staff built on a piece of wasteland. Public voting is open until Sunday 18 October.

The competition began in 2019. This year it is celebrating stations that “created connections that matter”. A judging panel picked the finalists after the public sent in more than 150 nominations. St Pancras is the only other London station on the list.

How the South Tottenham community garden began

Station assistants Ray McDonagh and Azaz Khan started clearing the land in 2020. They prepared the ground and added steps and paths. Ray contacted a local school where many pupils have no access to green space, and those children now come to the station to grow their own fruit and vegetables.

A shed on the site doubles as the pair’s workshop. Old crates and pallets go in, and come out as seats, fences, planters, shelving and signs for the garden. “The garden belongs to the community,” they said, adding that the shortlisting belongs to everyone who has helped the station.

First Rail London runs the Overground on behalf of TfL. Its managing director, David Statham, said the space had once been overlooked but now brings together local schoolchildren, older residents and people living with dementia. He urged anyone who knows the garden to vote for it.

When the World Cup of Stations winner is announced

Voting opened on 12 October and closes on Sunday 18 October. The winner will be announced on 20 October. Last year’s winner was Ashington in Northumberland, where passenger trains returned for the first time in 60 years.