Projects in Stockport to transform a disused concrete space in Brinnington and bring greenery to Merseyway Shopping Centre are among the community-led proposals to secure backing from the Mayor’s Greater Manchester Green Spaces Fund.
The latest round of the fund awarded money to 17 successful projects, empowering community groups across the city-region to bring their ideas for improving local space to life and make Greater Manchester greener. The projects bring communities together and encourage residents to get involved in nature recovery, from volunteering opportunities and building green skills to learning how to grow their own food and look after green spaces.
Two projects in Stockport have been successful in securing funding in the last round of Green Spaces Fund grants. In Brinnington, Green Thumbs Community Allotments will transform an unattractive concrete space into a Covid Memorial Garden and multi-use green space. The group plans to create a unique place where people can reflect, remember lost loved ones and take a moment for their own wellbeing. The area will be used to host activities where people can learn new growing techniques, learn more about nature, and work together to maintain the environment for future generations.
In Stockport town centre, the Greenwell Space project plans to convert hard landscaped spaces Merseyway shopping centre into a lush, green, biodiverse hub that promotes an array of wellbeing benefits to the local community and follows consistent feedback from shoppers about the lack of greenery in the area.
Now in its fifth funding round, the Green Spaces Fund has seen 103 spaces across Greater Manchester transformed since it launched in 2022. Projects backed by the fund have seen 374,114m2 of green space improved, 22,015 trees and plants introduced, while over 100,000 city-region residents have engaged with completed projects.
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said:
“It has become increasingly apparent over recent years that green spaces where nature can flourish are vital – not just for our local wildlife but our residents’ health, physical and mental. We’re currently developing our first Greater Manchester plan for nature, which will be the foundation for nature recovery across the city-region. It’s great to see these incredible community groups who care so much about their areas flourish with the help of the Green Spaces Fund.
“With more than a hundred projects, the Green Spaces Fund is making a huge difference to people’s lives and I’d like to thank each and every one of the brilliant community group members, volunteers and local businesses that have got behind it and brought it to life. It’s a remarkable movement, helping make Greater Manchester a greener, fairer place to live for all.”
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