Meet the winners of our Community Nature Grant
We’re thrilled to announce the winners of our Community Nature Grant
The Community Nature grant aims to empower local communities to make positive changes in their area by providing funding for innovative, community-led nature projects that respond to needs and priorities of local people. The grant, funded by Wates Family Enterprise Trust, awarded five groups across Manchester with £2000 to help people connect with nature.
We can’t wait to help bring these projects to life and to see the impact they have in their communities.
Keep on reading to find more about the amazing winners and their projects.
Grounded MCR, Levenshulme
Grounded MCR CIC is a social enterprise working with vulnerable adults and training them in barista/hospitality skills.
They are renovating a shipping container to be located in Cringle Park to home their community cafe and training centre and they’re working hard to make it as accessible and sustainable as they possibly can. It will feature green walls and a mini allotment, as well as grey and rainwater capture systems, and maybe even generate its renewable energy!
This grant will support them creating their mini allotment space.
North Manchester Community Growing Project, Cheetham Hill
The North Manchester Community Growing are getting their Cheetham allotment and orchard back into shape and turning it into a green haven for their community.
They are a multi-faith, multi-national, women-led group who hold mental health as one of their priorities, as well as empowerment of women and migrants - especially those that do not have access to their own garden space.
The Resonance Centre, Clayton and Openshaw
The Resonance Centre CIC are building a community vertical herb and vegetable garden in their health and wellbeing centre on Ashton New Road – the ‘Wonder Wall’. They will also create a seed library and encourage people to get growing at home.
The aim of this project is to bring the benefits of community gardening to Clayton and share produce and seeds with the local community.
We hope the Wonder Wall will inspire other community groups to get growing in small spaces!
Manchester Friends of Chapel Street Park, Bluebell Green Garden, Levenshulme
Friends of Chapel Street Park are creating a food forest and eco-play area in Bluebell Green. Their aim is to help local biodiversity, create food growing opportunities, and enhance the existing education and community features of the site.
Food forests create biodiverse ecosystems for wildlife, as well as provide food for people. By combining this with a nature-based play space, Friends of Chapel Street Park aim to connect people to nature and share knowledge both on the benefits of food forests and the actions we can all take to protect our planet.
Reflecteen, Moston
Reflecteen is a charity committed to enhancing the lives of vulnerable young people and families from Moston and surrounding areas.
This grant will support them creating a community garden for young people and their families to gain new skills, find a sense of purpose, and explore their heritage through food.
Their aim for this project is to provide young people with opportunities to foster positive relationships with themselves and others, as well as giving them access to a consistent safe space, and introducing them to the benefits of gardening.
This grant funding has been possible with support from the Wates Family Enterprise Trust.