Green Connecting

Green Connecting was established in 2018, to encourage and support the development of resident-led activities in local green spaces, home-growing and community gardening initiatives

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The Greener, Cleaner Firs and Bromford project was established to enable:

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• More people (young & old) to engaging with the local green spaces

•  Greater sense of local ownership of green spaces (“treating them as if they’re their own gardens”)

• ​More residents with gardening skills sharing those with others​​

• Better access to free, fresh, locally-grown food (eating & learning!)

• More people “doing it for themselves” (growing and cooking, as well as eating!)​

• More young people & adults doing stuff together, passing on knowledge & skills

• More connected to the earth & the wild – an ‘earthed spirituality’

• Improved physical & mental wellbeing among local people

• Beautiful spaces that local people can be proud of

• Local green spaces safeguarded for future generations

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Currently this work is being delivered in partnership with the Community Environmental Trust, who are a specialist organisation based in neighbouring Castle Vale.  This has opened up an exciting phase for the work, which now includes creating closer connections between the two neighbourhoods. This has enabled people to access the Community Garden, Orchard and Conservation area in Castle Vale, and the sharing of knowledge, experience and resources between the projects. 

One of the flagship achievements of Green Connecting is the creation of Bromford Green and a pocket park co-designed and built with the National Trust and Birmingham City Council.  This has involved local residents co-creating a space now regularly used for community activity. 

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