Spotlight on: Hillfields Community Garden
We funded Hillfields Community Garden’s educational garden through our Love Your Park Community Fund in October 2021. We love watching the space grow with our support.
Hillfields estimates an amazing 1,682 people have benefitted from our grant so far.
‘We have managed to turn a square bit of green grass into a singing, dancing, creative space that is open and welcoming to all members of the local community’
Bristol Council’s latest ward survey found just 46% of Hillfields residents feel they belong to the community.
The Community Garden aims to reduce feelings of isolation and improve connectivity to the local area.
The Garden has been designed by the community, for the community. Hillfields’ volunteers run a range of activities from Mini Explorers (a pre-school nature group) to Dig Days.
The volunteers say our grant led to “a total transformation of our garden space…We have been able to engage more people in activities and it has enabled us to start new areas of work that wouldn’t have been possible."
With our funding, the group built extra raised beds, bought plants, equipment, leaflets and banners.
Edible plants are growing in the new beds. The Garden has a compost heap, bug house and a flower area in truck tyres.
The compost heap, wildflower meadow, longer grass, new plants, and bug house has really improved the bee, butterfly and insect population.
"We have, and continue to have, a real and lasting improvement on the local community. We are really only just beginning, there are so many more things that we want to work on next year and the Your Park’s funding has enabled us to start with a really strong foundation."
A mother describes her experience:
“I can’t believe it! I need to tell you that since the pandemic my 3-year-old daughter has really struggled to engage at nursery, so much that I have had to remove her from the setting as she has become withdrawn. During Mini Explorers she has been running around, singing songs, playing with the trowels and digging for worms. I haven’t seen this in a long time in her."
