Bristol: New gardening project to bring back nature

Hosted by Wellspring Settlement, a local community organisation, the event will introduce a new ‘Postcode Gardener’, Harriet Wylie, to Barton Hill. Harriet will work with local people to encourage nature back into the area and support the community and wildlife to thrive. 

The new role has been secured as part of a nationwide scheme being rolled out by Friends of the Earth and The Co-operative Bank, which seeks to rejuvenate 1,000 neglected spaces across the country and bring communities with little access to nature closer to the health and wellbeing benefits provided by access to green spaces.

It’s hoped the programme will help to bring the local community together after a challenging few years for the residents of Barton Hill. More than 250 people were impacted by the forcible evacuation of council-owned high-rise tower block, Barton House, in November 2023, due to structural issues with the building. Many were unable to return for several months. This came after nearby residents were impacted by a fire in a separate block, which left six injured.  

Harriet will oversee a two-year programme with Wellspring Settlement to increase biodiversity in the local area, and has already started work to create a community orchard with the help of a group of dedicated volunteers. She also plans to host local walk-and-talks for residents to better understand what grows in the area and the uses the plants have.

Harriet Wylie, Postcode Gardener for Barton Hill said:  

“It’s been great getting to know local residents so far. Despite the challenges of the last few years, this is clearly a community with a lot of resilience, positivity and a desire to create a local area that people can take pride in.  

“By improving and maintaining Barton Hill’s green spaces and introducing new ones, we can create wonderful havens that support both healing in the community and nature to flourish. It’s really important that this project helps foster community connection and a sense of trust locally. That’s what I love about this role, it’s all about collaboration and getting people involved in the greening activities they want to see.

“Having seen how the community can pull together, I hope to harness some of this spirit to deliver really meaningful change for the area.”

Research from Friends of the Earth shows that one in five people in England live in nature-deprived areas, including a staggering 1.6 million children under the age of 12. Moreover, people of colour are disproportionately affected by nature loss, and are nearly three times more likely to live in areas with limited access to green or wild spaces. Barton Hill was identified as an area where the community would greatly benefit from a greener environment.  

By reclaiming and nurturing public areas for community growing, it’s hoped the new Postcode Gardener will help Barton Hill strengthen community ties and unlock the many advantages of greener neighbourhoods. Not only do they support wildlife to flourish and thrive – providing more habitats for animals and attracting much-needed pollinators into urban areas – they also help to reduce air pollution and protect communities from the impacts of climate change. What’s more, nature is known to have a positive impact on mental health and wellbeing.   
 
Thursday’s event will be an opportunity to bring together the people of Barton Hill for a shared experience of gardening, learning and celebration. The event will be family friendly, and guests are encouraged to bring food, drink and blankets to take part in the community picnic. There will also be the opportunity to create flower and herb planters to take home. Refreshments will be available.

Maria Cearns, Chief Operating Officer at The Co-operative Bank, said:

“We’re thrilled to continue to expand our work with Friends of the Earth, taking positive steps to reverse the decline in biodiversity in communities across the country.

“We’re looking forward to seeing the community in Barton Hill benefit from the Postcode Gardener scheme. We hope it will create meaningful, lasting change in their community.”

Rianna Gargiulo, Postcode Gardener programme lead at Friends of the Earth, said:

“It’s really exciting to be embedding a new Postcode Gardener in Barton Hill, which we’ve identified as one of the areas that would most benefit from this initiative nationwide.

“We’re thrilled to see our pioneering Postcode Gardeners programme expanding to new locations around the country with support from The Co-operative Bank, and to Barton Hill with our local delivery partners Wellspring Settlement. Bit by bit, we hope to rejuvenate 1,000 depleted spaces nationwide, reconnecting communities with nature and each other.

“Making Bristol a little greener brings us one step closer to building the healthier, happier and more harmonious world we know to be possible.”

 ENDS