Community Garden | Brinnington Big Local

The Green Thumbs Community Garden in Brinnington was created in 2016 as a welcoming space for local people to grow, learn, connect, and enjoy nature together. Developed through Brinnington Big Local’s £1 million community investment programme, the garden transformed land beside Brinnington Community Church into a thriving shared green space inspired by residents’ wish for somewhere to simply “potter around.”

Establishing the community garden

Once established, the garden gave residents from all walks of life the opportunity to experience every stage of the gardening process, from growing seedlings and maintaining soil beds through to cooking healthy, nutritious dishes using the vegetables they had grown.

The garden quickly became a hive of activity, welcoming both adults and children to weekly clubs and events. However, many of the activities hosted in the space extended beyond gardening, encompassing social connection, physical and mental wellbeing, and access to support.

Community members pay an annual £5 contribution for their plot and choose to plant it with whatever they like. Here’s some examples of what grows there:

Roc, the children’s club at the church, are growing sweetcorn, runner beans, peas and cabbage
Lucy and Julie are growing blackcurrant and redcurrant trees
Martin the church pastor is growing red gooseberries, sage and strawberries.
Trisha and Donna are growing a supply of potatoes and hoping to use in the local community café where they both volunteer
Paul and Julie are growing onions and lettuce
Rosalyn grows her native African squash
Pru’s grandchildren are growing a range of vegetables

A community space for more than just gardening

Brinnington Big Local’s Natter in Nature sessions encouraged non-gardeners to spend time outdoors and connect with neighbours. They also gave residents “permission” to use the space more often, either individually or in groups.

Another Big Local initiative, the Orange Umbrella project – a support service for women experiencing domestic abuse – also began using the space as an inviting, confidential, and non-clinical setting where women could come together for social support. The shared act of therapeutic gardening helped reduce isolation and provided opportunities to talk, find calm, and build connection without stigma.

The Green Thumbs Community Garden quickly became an important community hub in Brinnington and remains so today. Local residents are often found there “pottering away” or sharing a cup of tea with whoever pops by. This safe and welcoming ‘front door’ also enables Green Thumbs volunteers to connect people to wider neighbourhood services, delivered through the Big Local Hub and other agencies, such as domestic energy advice, financial management advice and employability support.

Julie’s Story

Local resident Julie spent four years largely confined to her home while experiencing depression and anxiety. One day, she and a friend walked to the garden and began clearing plots together. Almost immediately, Julie felt a sense of relief, later reflecting:

“When you step outside your own four walls to think and sit outside in the fresh air, things seem to make more sense.”

Julie soon became a volunteer at the garden, explaining:

“There’s something about the soil, it helps your mental health and diverts your brain.”

Her passion for nature and wellbeing was recognised by Nina Burns, then Communities Manager at Groundwork and Brinnington Lead. Nina supported and mentored Julie into leadership roles, first as Chair of Green Thumbs and later as Chair of the Big Local Committee.

Watch Julie’s Video

Growing up a Storm

In 2022 the Big Local committee wanted to encourage more people to grow, cook and eat their own freshly grown produce. The Big Local worked with volunteers from Green Thumbs to co-design this new initiative, known as ‘Growing up a Storm’

Using a £400 budget, 10 volunteers got to work with the community growing scheme, preparing portable plots with salad seeds, compost, and potatoes. They then distributed the packs to over 90 local residents and shared cooking videos and recipe cards which highlighted what they could grow themselves.

The committee wanted to support residents struggling with the increased cost of living in some small way, whilst also giving them a fun, practical activity and expanding their skills.

To help reduce food waste, food sharing is encouraged. As well as using potatoes grown in the gardens for their community café, produce is also regularly left for members of the community to help themselves.