Background
As part of Rochdale Boroughwide Council’s ‘Bounce Back & Grow’ programme, Groundwork are working in three areas of Rochdale; Kirkholt, Falinge and Milkstone Deeplish, supporting communities to connect more with nature, get outdoors and become better connected, following the effects caused by Covid-19.
Throughout 2022, Groundwork will host a range of activities which engage people in gardening, growing and related nature-based activities, including:
- Improvements to three green spaces, including the creation of an Eco-Street. The Eco-Streets will increase access to local green spaces, transforming an alleyway or a small green area, to become locations where people can come together.
- Pop up growing sessions, which focus on bringing members of the community together whilst simultaneously enjoying the mental health benefits of being outdoors
- Grow at Home packs, which help those struggling with social isolation to spend more time in their gardens growing plants and food, whilst at the same time making connections with their neighbours.
We aim to engage 600 local people over the year, from a range of different backgrounds, and help to:
- Improve local people’s mental health & wellbeing
- Reduce cases of social isolation
- Strengthen communities by bringing them together
Pop-up & Grow
Our Pop-up and grow events are the perfect opportunity to meet your neighbours and give gardening a try.
You don’t need to have green fingers to join the events and all ages are welcome.
Simply pop along and learn about how gardening can help feel healthier and happier.
At the event you’ll plant up a pot with seasonal plants, flowers, or herbs.
All materials and equipment provided and there is no charge for attending the event or for the materials you use.
You’re welcome to take your new plant home so you can enjoy the benefits of nature.
Grow at Home – Container Challenge
Growing plants and food from your home helps make us feel calmer and more relaxed, as well as creating new habitats for insects such as bees and butterfly’s. And when it comes to growing, there’s options available for everyone, whether you have a huge garden or just a small window sill.
Our container challenge has been developed so that everyone gives gardening a go, and even better, there’s competition prizes up for grabs too!
There are three categories; recycling, food, or flowers.
RECYCLING: Can you re-think what materials are needed to grow plants and flowers? Unleash your creativity and re-think materials such as milk bottles and old yogurt pots.
FOOD: There are some fantastic ways to re-grow what you first think of as food waste. In this challenge we’ll look at making use of old potatoes and spring onions and see if we can grow new ones without the need for seed!
FLOWERS: Flowers are beautiful to look at but they’re also great for bees and other insects. Known as ‘pollinators’ certain, native flowers are exactly what is needed in our local area, can you help Rochdale bloom in this challenge?
Green space improvements
Community groups in Kirkholt and Falinge are encouraged to apply for the opportunity to work with Groundwork on a funded Eco Street or green space improvement project.
Through the Bounce Back and Grow project we will be supporting communities to transform unused outdoor areas into exciting green spaces which feature nature-based-solutions that help alleviate climate change.
Groundwork will help one community in Kirkholt and one in Falinge to co-design and install their new space later this year.
Applicants are encouraged to express their interest in the project by emailing Lydia.Marshall@groundwork.org.uk (for projects in Kirkholt) and Sarah.Walker@groundwork.org.uk (for projects in Falinge) before the end of April.
Made possible thanks to funding from
