Tinie Tempah used to find the "greyness" of London "uninspiring".
The 'Pass Out' hitmaker has teamed up with Chase Distillery and landscape designer Tom Massey to bring the countryside to east London and he was thrilled to be part of the 'Inspired by the Wild' project because he knows how difficult it can be to live without any green spaces nearby.
He said: “Growing up in London I sometimes struggled with the greyness of the city – it could feel quite uninspiring. There’s something about being out in nature that unlocks a different level of creativity and inspiration for me.
"Working with Chase and Tom to support the residents of Miller’s Terrace in this transformation has been so fulfilling, and we’ve been able to bring a true slice of nature to this forgotten road and its residents.”
The initiative saw Miller's Terrace in Dalston - a residential street where inhabitants have been campaigning for funding to breathe new life into the road for almost a decade - transformed through the power of nature, with over 350 resilient plants and trees now offering a relaxing garden space for more than 100 local residents.
The project was inspired by research from Chase Distillery, who found 25% of Brits spend more time than they'd like indoors due to a lack of social green spaces.
Amadeo Martini, a resident on Miller’s Terrace said, “We’re a close-knit community, and for the past eight years, we’ve been desperately trying to repair our run-down street and bring a sense of pride back to our road.
"Sadly, we’ve been unable to secure the resources needed to fix the street but Chase, Tom and Tinie have turned things around. We’re a green fingered bunch and now we can realise our dream of having a street we can all be proud of and enjoy for years to come.”
Tinie teamed up with the gin and vodka brand to host a pop-up bar event on the street to celebrate the completion of the project but while that lasted just a day, the changes to the street will last.
Chase’s Marketing Director Charlie Gibbon said: “The Herefordshire countryside is an integral part of Chase’s heritage, and we want to bring that same countryside feel that inspires us everyday to the city. Rejuvenating Miller’s Terrace has created a permanent space in nature for the residents to enjoy and we hope this’ll have a lasting impact on their surroundings.”