The Paradise Cooperative

What The Paradise Cooperative does

The Paradise Cooperative is a UK registered charity (charity number 1159176) founded in 2014 that operates a community garden at Dobbins Field in Wandsworth, London. The organization delivers environmental education, food-growing, biodiversity monitoring, and community engagement outcomes through a single physical site. Its 2025 impact metrics include approximately 5,000 visitors, 682kg of food donated, 3,276 children reached through the schools programme, 247 species recorded, and 67 active volunteers. The charity is led by Director Lauren Duncan and chaired by Scott Thompson, with a five-person staff team.

The 'product' is the physical garden space and the programmatic activities delivered on it: a schools education programme, food cultivation and donation, biodiversity recording, and community volunteering. There is no proprietary software, digital platform, or scalable technology stack; the underlying 'technology' is horticultural and educational in nature, with no evidence of AI/ML, data infrastructure, or licensed IP.

The revenue model is that of a small UK charity: donations, grants, site hire, and fee-for-service corporate volunteering priced at £450+ per half-day. A 2024 community crowdfunding campaign raised £16,000+. As a registered charity, surplus is reinvested into operations rather than distributed. The cooperative maintains partnerships with local schools and corporate volunteer clients and has received award shortlistings that support its fundraising credibility in the Wandsworth catchment.

Name

The Paradise Cooperative

Legal name

Paradise Cooperative

Website

https://paradisecooperative.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Paradise Cooperative is a UK registered charity (1159176) operating a community garden at Dobbins Field, Wandsworth, delivering environmental education, food-growing, and biodiversity programmes to local schools, volunteers, corporate partners, and visitors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Crowdfunding: Voluntary donations from individuals, community members and partner organisations. In 2024, the 10th anniversary crowdfunding raised over £16,000.
2. Corporate Volunteering and Team Away Days: Paid corporate team-building sessions at the garden. Half-day sessions from £450, with full-day and garden sponsorship packages available. Revenue directly supports free community programmes.
3. Site Hire: Venue hire for events including children's birthday parties, photoshoots, workshops and yoga sessions. Booking via enquiry form to [email protected].
4. Grants and Funder Support: Funding from institutional donors including National Lottery Community Fund, Wandsworth Council, Wimbledon Foundation, and Wandsworth Grant Fund. Registered charity number 1159176.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Paradise Cooperative is a registered charity operating a one-acre community garden at Dobbins Field in Wandsworth, delivering curriculum-linked school workshops (Paradise Learning), weekly food growing and donation to local social enterprises (Community Food Initiative), adult mental wellbeing sessions (Mindful Growing), family biodiversity workshops (Paradise Nature Club and Paradise Together), and paid corporate team-building events. The site also functions as a hireable venue for private celebrations, photoshoots, and workshops, with referral-based non-clinical programmes for individuals facing barriers to accessing green space.

Product overview

Paradise Cooperative is a community garden charity operating from a one-acre site at Dobbins Field in Wandsworth, London. The organization offers a portfolio of interconnected programmes centered on community connection with nature: the Community Garden itself serves as the foundational space, complemented by Paradise Learning (curriculum-linked education workshops for schools), the Community Food Initiative (food growing and donation programme), Mindful Growing Sessions (adult wellbeing through gardening), Paradise Nature Club (family biodiversity workshops), Paradise Together (evening workshops with community meals), and Harvest Festival (annual celebration). Additional offerings include Corporate Volunteering & Team Away Days, Site Hire for events and celebrations, Referral Programmes for people facing barriers to green space, and specialty facilities such as the Outdoor Classroom and Sensory Garden Trail. The organization also produces creative media including the documentary film 'Beyond the Prison Fence.'

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Paradise Learning Curriculum-linked outdoor learning workshops for EYFS, KS1 and KS2 students covering science, geography, history, English and art through hands-on nature-based activities. Includes a school membership programme of 12 sessions per academic year plus a whole-school assembly; 10 Wandsworth primary schools participated in 2025.
• Community Food Initiative Weekly volunteer-driven food growing and donation programme that supplies fresh produce to local social enterprises including HOME Café, Well Kneaded Foundation, Tooting Community Kitchen, and Be Enriched. In 2025, 682kg of produce (equivalent to 8,400 meals) was donated within a mile of the garden.
• Mindful Growing Sessions Free weekly Tuesday afternoon gardening sessions for adults supporting mental and physical wellbeing through gentle gardening, nature connection, and shared activity in a calm, trauma-informed environment. Accessible via NHS and social services referral.
• Paradise Nature Club Free monthly family-friendly workshops covering biodiversity, ecology, nature connection, and creative crafts. Activities include seed planting, wildlife-friendly gardening, and nature crafts for all ages.
• Paradise Together Free evening workshops and community meals held every third Wednesday from April to September for adults aged 16+, exploring sustainable food, urban ecology, food growing, and creative skills.
• Corporate Volunteering & Team Away Days Half-day corporate volunteer sessions from £450 and full team away days combining hands-on garden tasks, creative activities, nature-based exploration and team building, with optional lunch at £10 per person and an annual Garden Sponsorship package providing naming rights to a garden area.
• Site Hire Garden venue hire for sustainable celebrations, corporate away days, children's bushcraft birthday parties, yoga sessions, photoshoots, and nature-based workshops and retreats. Quote-based pricing via enquiry to Lauren at [email protected].
• Referral Programmes Non-clinical community-based referral pathways for adults and families facing barriers to accessing green space, including Mindful Growing for adults and Sensory Stay & Play for SEND families, guided by NHS 5 Ways to Wellbeing. Partners include Springfield University Hospital and other mental health services.
• Harvest Festival Annual community celebration of the harvest season held on a Sunday in September each year, featuring food, plant and produce sales, children's activities, garden tours, and community gathering.

Quantifiable outcome

• 682kg of food donated to local social enterprises in 2025, equivalent to 8,400 meals within a mile of the garden
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Well Kneaded FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal social enterprise receiving weekly produce donations from Paradise's Community Food Initiative. Foundation uses donated fresh produce in its community food programmes supporting people in need.
• HOME CafécoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity café receiving regular produce donations from Paradise's Community Food Initiative. Donations support the café's community food support programmes.
• Share CommunitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organisation involved in community support programmes. Part of the network of partners working with Paradise to extend reach and deepen impact.
• Springfield University HospitalsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental health trust partner for Mindful Growing referral pathways, supporting patients to access gentle outdoor activity and nature connection.
• Capital GrowthsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLondon-based food growing network supporting urban food growing initiatives. Partner in Sustain coalition.
• Wandsworth CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal authority providing ongoing support and funding to Paradise Cooperative. Multiple funding streams including Wandsworth Grant Fund for sensory garden project.
• Her Me & ADHDsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganisation supporting young women and girls with ADHD. Partnership delivering Wellbeing with Nature programme for Year 7 and 8 students, combining outdoor activities with therapeutic focus.
• Flimsey WorkssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm that co-designed and built Paradise's Outdoor Classroom in February 2024. Collaboration used permaculture principles and low-impact materials.
• CARAS (Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharity supporting young refugees and asylum seekers. Joint project 'Tooting Youth for Climate Justice' involving art workshops, nature activities and outdoor space redesign at CARAS centre.
• Bounce TheatresupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth theatre company leading 'Beyond the Plate' heritage project. Paradise hosted workshops on foraging, cooking and food education; youth incorporated learnings into performance 'Climate Island'.
• Loughborough University LondonsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSelected as case study in Sensemaking Stewardship research project (EPSRC-funded EcoLandS) exploring community land stewardship. Collaboration with Royal College of Art.
• Kingston UniversitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerArt students spent time at Paradise creating 'The Londoner's Winter Almanac' zine exploring nature connection, urban ecology and the outdoors.
• Land In Our NamessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLand justice organisation that co-hosted the Justice Strand at Oxford Real Farming Conference 2026 where 'Beyond the Prison Fence' was screened.
• Jane Porter (Illustrator)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerIllustrator who led art workshops with young refugees and asylum seekers for the 'Tooting Youth for Climate Justice' project.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Trees for Cities: Trees for Cities is an urban greening charity that delivers tree planting, green-space creation and community engagement projects. It is comparable as a physical urban nature intervention, although its core activity is trees rather than food growing.
• Garden Organic: Garden Organic is a UK charity focused on organic growing, education and sustainable horticulture. It overlaps with Paradise Cooperative's organic and regenerative growing methods, educational outreach and volunteer-based community model.
• The Conservation Volunteers: The Conservation Volunteers is a UK charity that connects people with nature through conservation, volunteering and community projects. It is broader than Paradise Cooperative but relevant to the same volunteer-led nature, habitat creation and wellbeing outcomes.
• Groundwork: Groundwork is a UK charity working with communities on local environmental, green-space and wellbeing initiatives. Its partnership-led delivery model and local place-based work are similar to Paradise Cooperative's council, school and community partnerships.

Regional players

• GrowNYC: GrowNYC operates community gardens, urban agriculture and food-access programmes in New York. Although US-based and broader, it is a useful regional peer for Paradise Cooperative's combination of physical green space, food donation and community engagement.
• London Wildlife Trust: London Wildlife Trust is a London conservation charity that protects and improves wildlife habitats and engages local communities in nature. Its same-city focus and biodiversity mission make it a relevant regional comparator for Paradise Cooperative's habitat monitoring and accessible urban green space.

Direct peers

• Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens: The Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens is a UK charity that supports community farms, gardens and growing groups. It is comparable through its mission-led food growing, volunteer participation and community outcomes.
• The Orchard Project: The Orchard Project is a UK nonprofit that creates and supports community orchards and food-growing spaces. Its focus on volunteer participation, local food production and environmental education makes it a close adjacent peer.
• Incredible Edible: Incredible Edible is a UK grassroots network of local food-growing projects that encourages communities to grow and share food. Its volunteer-led, place-based model is directly comparable to Paradise Cooperative's community garden and education programmes.
• Capital Growth: Capital Growth is a London food-growing network that supports community food-growing spaces and local growing projects. Its focus on urban cultivation, volunteers and community food access closely matches Paradise Cooperative's operating model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CoopParadise
• YouTubevimeo.com/950850558
• Facebookfacebook.com/Paradisecoopearlsfield
• Instagraminstagram.com/paradisecoop
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-paradise-cooperative

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Paradise Cooperative