New local gardening project to bring nature into Manchester

• Friends of the Earth and The Co-operative Bank have joined forces to breathe life back into thousands of nature-deprived spaces across the country, including in West Gorton and Wythenshawe in Manchester 
• Two new ‘Postcode Gardeners’ will work local organisations to help green the area, while fostering community spirit and connection with nature 
• The project will launch at a community event next week (Wed 4 September 11am – 1pm) with gardening activities such as apple pressing, bug hotel building, and bulb planting 
• A photo call will take place at 11.30am following speeches from the Postcode Gardeners, Friends of the Earth, The Co-operative Bank and the Lord Mayor of Manchester 

Manchester residents are being invited to join an exciting event taking place at West Gorton Community Park next Wednesday, celebrating the launch of two new community gardening projects for both West Gorton and Wythenshawe.  

Friends of the Earth and The Co-operative Bank are working with local delivery partners, Groundwork and Sow the City, to bring nature back into Manchester communities. The launch event (on Wednesday 4th September 11am - 1pm) will introduce two new ‘Postcode Gardeners’ – Wardeh Al Nasir and Catherine Clarke – to West Gorton and Wythenshawe respectively. Wardeh and Catherine will work with local people to encourage nature back into the area and support the community and wildlife to thrive.   
 
The new roles have 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. The University of Manchester will monitor the progress and benefits for local communities in West Gorton.  

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. Both Wyntheshawe and West Gorton were identified as areas where the community would greatly benefit from a greener environment. 

Wardeh and Catherine will oversee a two-year project each, supported by Groundwork and Sow the City, which aims to increase biodiversity in Manchester.  
 
Wardeh Al Nasir, Postcode Gardener for West Gorton, said:  

“I’m so proud to be taking on this role at West Gorton, which is already a glowing example of a community garden that has implemented innovative ways to bring back nature, such as ‘bio-swales’ that help to collect rain run-off and a gorgeous wildflower meadow to improve biodiversity. I look forward to continuing this important work and supporting the University of Manchester’s monitoring of how our project progresses.  
 
"After feeling isolated and alone when I first moved to the UK three years ago, it was gardening and volunteering that helped me grow in my language, interpersonal skills and confidence. I want everyone to know that the garden is a place where it doesn’t matter what background you are from or qualifications you have, you can always add something beautiful and unique to the world around you.”  

Catherine Clarke, Postcode Gardener for Wynthenshawe, said: 

“It’s great to have the opportunity to connect with lots of different people in Wythenshawe through the Postcode Gardener project, including adults with additional learning needs, individuals experiencing homelessness, young people and different groups catering to the community. 

“My professional background is in conservation, but I joined this project for a more hands-on approach to getting people reconnected with nature. One of the great things about the Postcode Gardener programme is that it funds more than just practical gardening work – it’s about bringing people together and co-creating healthier, happier neighbourhoods. By offering my support in this role, I hope I can build confidence in gardening skills and enable people to implement their own gardening ideas, while creating the kind of culture that keeps people engaged and fosters a sense of pride for the local area.” 
 
By reclaiming and nurturing public areas for community growing, it’s hoped the new Postcode Gardeners can help to 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.   
 
Wednesday’s event will be an opportunity to bring together the people of Wyntheshawe and West Gorton for a shared experience of gardening, learning and celebration. The event will be family friendly, and guests will be invited to take part in activities such as apple pressing, bug hotel building and bulb planting, with goodies to take home. Refreshments will be available.  

The event will see The Co-operative Bank’s Chief Operating Officer, Maria Cearns, and speak alongside the two new Postcode Gardeners at 11.15am, with a photo call at 11.30am. Jamie Peters, Friend of the Earth’s interim Chief Executive, will be speaking at the end of the event. 

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

“We’re thrilled to be working with Friends of the Earth, taking positive steps to reverse the decline in biodiversity in communities across the country.  

“As a Manchester-based bank, we’re looking forward to seeing West Gorton and Wyntheshawe benefit from the Postcode Gardener scheme. We hope it will create meaningful, lasting change in these communities.”    
 
Rianna Gargiulo, Postcode Gardener programme lead at Friends of the Earth, said:   
 
“It’s really exciting to be embedding not just one, but two new Postcode Gardeners in Manchester, 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 West Gorton and Wythenshawe with our local delivery partners, Groundwork and Sow the City. Bit by bit, we hope to rejuvenate 1,000 depleted spaces nationwide, reconnecting communities with nature and each other.   
 
“Making Manchester a little greener brings us one step closer to building the healthier, happier and more harmonious world we know to be possible.”   

Notes:
 
1. Friends of the Earth announced its new partnership with The Co-operative Bank in June 2023. Together, they are embarking on a mission to bring back nature to 1,000 nature-deprived spaces across the country. To learn more please visit: Friends of the Earth and The Co-operative Bank join forces | June 2023  
 
2. Friends of the Earth first launched its Postcode Gardener programme in 2018, embedding gardeners in two locations – Hackney in London and Bideford in Devon. Following the success of these pilot projects, Friends of the Earth and The Co-operative Bank are working together to roll out Postcode Gardeners at a number of new locations.   
 
3. To read more about the Postcode Gardeners scheme, please visit: Planting more Postcode Gardeners to create greener streets  
 
4. About Friends of the Earth: Friends of the Earth is an international community dedicated to the protection of the natural world and the wellbeing of everyone in it. We bring together more than two million people in 75 countries, combining people power all over the world to transform local actions into global impact. For more information follow us at @friends_earth, or like our Facebook page. Save paper and send an e-card today, available here   
 
5. About The Co-operative Bank: The Co-operative Bank plc provides a full range of banking products and services to retail and SME (Small and Medium Sized Enterprises) customers and is committed to values and ethics in line with the principles of the co-operative movement. The Co-operative Bank is the only high street bank with a customer-led Ethical Policy which gives customers a say in how  their money is used.  Launched in 1992, the Policy has been updated on six occasions, with new commitments added in June 2022 to cover how the bank operates its business, products and services, workplace and culture, relationships with suppliers and other stakeholders and the issues it supports and campaigns on. 

6. About Sow the City: Sow the City is an award-winning social enterprise based in Manchester. Established in 2009 with a few packets of veg seeds and some compost, Sow the City now helps thousands of people across the Northwest to grow and live sustainably. Their aim is to green urban spaces and connect people with nature and forward the green agenda. They work in lots of settings alongside NHS and local Council and other CIC orgs, housing associations et and work with local groups to create community and wildlife gardens and new green infrastructure. 

7. About Groundwork: Groundwork is an organisation that works to create a greener and fairer future for all communities in Greater Manchester by supporting them through making green spaces more resilient to the impacts of climate change.