Green Spaces for Smithfield

Aim

Community led gardening and wildlife projects in Manchester city centre - transforming neglected spaces into safe nature rich green spaces

ABOUT US

We are residents of Smithfield Gardens, a social housing estate in the heart of the creative Northern Quarter, Manchester.  Yet, there is little availability of green space in the community. The area is one of the most deprived in Manchester, falling into the top 10% for poor health, environment, anti-social behaviour, and crime.  

OUR JOURNEY

With the help of the Smithfield Residents Committee, residents of our estate formed a voluntary Garden Club in 2019. 

We have been successful in removing two known drug activity sites, one has become a secure pocket garden and the other has been transformed into a large shrubbery and flower border. The impact on the area has been huge, there have been no more reports of drug activity at these sites. Comments from residents that live near these sites have been positive such as “how nice the area now looks” and “how they now feel safe as they no longer have to walk past drug activity when gaining access to their homes”. Comments from local residents and the community now have shifted to multiple requests to revitalise other areas of our estate. We hope to raise funds to allow us to do this. 

WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE 

The little available green spaces that are in our community are overgrown, concealing paths behind that are being used for drug taking, additionally the rubbish that is collecting in the area is attracting rats and negatively impacting local residents. Tree stumps, nettles and weeds are blocking planting of new trees/ plants. Our project would address these issues by removing the overgrowth and planting low lying plants/shrubs to remove the secluded areas which have become a haven for antisocial behaviour.  By removing the overgrowth we will be able to create vibrant spaces with greenery which residents and the local community can feel positive mental health benefits from, including wellness benefits from the opportunities to get involved in the transformation process.

WHAT MAKES OUR PROJECT GREAT

We will be engaging and empowering the community to get involved with nature by seeking environmental improvement with planting and conservation. Furthermore, we aim to boost health, biodiversity, and the visual appearance of the Northern Quarter, complementing its creative quarter status.

HOW FUNDS WILL BE SPENT

Funds raised will be used towards transforming grey, neglected, anti-social behaviour dominated spaces within and around our estate, into high quality and safe nature rich green spaces. We will co-design the spaces with our community, before embarking on creating them with qualified professionals, our community and volunteers.

This project successfully funded on 23rd December 2023