A forward-thinking partnership changing lives in the UK’s often overlooked communities.
Groundwork is a federation of charities mobilising practical community action on poverty and the environment across the UK. We’re passionate about creating a future where every neighbourhood is vibrant and green, every community is strong and able to shape its own destiny and no-one is held back by their background or circumstances. A forward-thinking partnership with Firethorn Trust is helping us do just that.
The partnership, which began in 2022 and includes a grant of over £300,000 to support local initiatives in six locations linked to current Firethorn developments, has reaped many benefits for local communities.
The six projects take a holistic approach to the needs of local communities in Leighton Buzzard, Peterborough, Ellesmere Port, Sherburn-in-Elmet, Barnsley and Northampton – supporting education and environment programmes, boosting employment and upskilling opportunities and tackling the challenges of food poverty.
Each project has been identified and led by local Groundwork experts with a deep understanding of the communities they support, with Firethorn team members having the opportunity to get involved through volunteering and see the positive impact of the projects first-hand.
Project spotlight: Leighton Buzzard
With the cost of living soaring as it has over the past few months, projects which address food security are more important than ever when it comes to improving the health of communities. Thanks to funding from Firethorn Trust, Groundwork have created a new accessible food growing garden at Parson’s Recreation Ground, located in the heart of Leighton Buzzard.
More than 100 hours of volunteering have been undertaken by the community, who have been learning to grow and harvest crops in the garden. A variety of different vegetables have been grown such as tomatoes, potatoes, runner beans, courgettes and salad vegetables, as well as a variety of herbs. The produce from the garden has contributed over 13kg of fresh produce for the local community fridge, which alongside 4kgs of donated dry food has provided 218 meals for local people in need so far.
Alongside food growing sessions, family friendly community events including natural craft sessions and bulb planting have also taken place.
Graham Duxbury, Groundwork UK Chief Executive, said: “As the price of basic needs such as food soar during the cost of living crisis, providing the resources and education for families to become more food secure through growing their own produce is vital. The health benefits of fresh, home grown produce are well known, as are the improvements we see in wellbeing when communities have access to green spaces.
“Firethorn are a brilliant partner to work with because they listen and trust us to determine how their investment might deliver the greatest impact in communities. This has enabled us to deliver a range of activities across the country, sometimes testing a new model of delivery, at other times adding value to a tried and tested approach. As in Leighton Buzzard, the impact across the country has been significant – from young people in urban areas being better connected with nature, to volunteers improving outdoor spaces for food growing and young people and unemployed adults gaining experience and qualifications to help them find work. We expect this partnership to continue delivering lasting change in areas of the country that are too often overlooked.”
Joe McIndoe, Groundwork UK Partnerships Manager, said: “The relationship with Firethorn Trust has been a beacon of positivity. They have leant on Groundwork’s local expertise to design new or extend existing community, economic and environmental initiatives that we know work. We’ve received shining feedback from across the board from local Groundwork teams, which shows that they really value the relationship as they are trusted to deliver their projects, involving Firethorn Trust staff along the way.”
Firethorn’s latest investment is in the wage costs for Groundwork Green Teams in London. Green Teams teach practical horticulture and landscape skills to people who need support to get into employment, while delivering essential maintenance and improvement works in parks and green spaces. The programme helps people with complex barriers to employment build the skills and confidence to succeed in the workplace.
