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The Grass Roots project, run by BTCV and funded by Prudential, has provided valuable support to the local community of Manningham; an area that traditionally lacks green space. BTCV worked in partnership with The Bradford Community Environment Project (BCEP) to turn derelict land into a prized community garden, helping to change the image of an urban sprawl. The Grass Roots programme has also enabled the Scotchman Road Asian Grower's Group to develop a community allotments project. Manningham was previously an area of Bradford scarred by deprivation and unrest. It hit the headlines in 2001 when it became the epicentre of violence resulting in Britain's worst racial tension for decades. Recently, support from statutory bodies and other organisations has helped to regenerate the area and paint a brighter future. St Mary's Community Garden was once a dangerous fly-tipped area at the back of a row of terraced housing and despite repeated clean-ups by the local council and residents, the area presented a serious health risk. Frustrated local residents took action through the St Mary's Residential Association, and approached the consortium of partners, local community action group, BCEP, Prudential and BTCV. Their aim was to transform the site from a threatening liability to an emblem of neighbourly spirit, named St Mary's Community Garden. They also wanted to develop an allotment site in the local area. Other organisations involved in the scheme included the Scotchman Road Asian Women's Growers Group, four local schools, SureStart Manningham and Girlington SRB and the nearby Prudential-owned Kirkgate Shopping Centre. Using nature conservation as a tool, St Mary's Community Garden and Scotchman Road allotments project has helped to empower local residents. The unsafe site was cleared of fly-tipped rubbish and stone walls were restored in order to deter further dumping. Litter-picking groups were organised, paths and raised beds were built for the purposes of access and inclusion, and plots for organic fruits and vegetables were developed. An area of green space was created where parents could let their children play safely on vandal-proof equipment, and an ownership of the local environment was stimulated in the neighbours who took part. Further to amending the principal site, the scheme also helped to expand the community allotments used by the Asian Women Growers Group, creating two new cultivation plots and improving prospects for permanent planting. The project has provided an accessible, rich and varied resource for the whole community, used by schools, conservationists and lifelong learners. Catherine Riley, Manager of the Kirkgate Shopping Centre, praised the site: 'This remarkable transformation is a credit to both the local residents and a number of colleagues here at the centre. We are very proud to have been able to play our part in this scheme, and look forward to seeing the community enjoy the garden.' Naweed Hussain, Chair of the St Mary's Residents' Association, was also pleased with what the community has created: 'This site has been a real eye-sore for years now. We kept clearing it, but it only got tipped on again. The result of all our work has shown people this area is used and cared for and that it's not an area for tipping anymore.'
St Mary's Community Garden has received the Green Pennant Award, a national award run by the Civic Trust that recognises high quality green spaces in England and Wales that are managed by voluntary and community groups. All content copyright © 1986-2008 BTCV Ltd. Registered charity No. 261009 |
