Creating Green Spaces Where They’re Needed The Most
The Green Spaces Fund was established to support community-led projects that increase the amount and quality of accessible, nature-rich green space across Greater Manchester, particularly in the areas where people need it most.
Since the programme began in December 2022:
- Over £4m has been awarded to 122 community projects across Greater Manchester
- Nearly 50% of the projects were in areas of most need
- Over 85,000m2 green space created and 500,000m2 green space improved
Leading the partnership
Groundwork’s role in the programme is to lead a partnership of environmental organizations who each act as Green Space Fund Advisors.
Green Spaces Fund Advisors empower grassroots community groups across Greater Manchester by providing tailored support throughout the application and project delivery process, ensuring sustainable environmental initiatives grow in targeted areas of need.
Groundwork has and continues to shape and deliver the programme in the following ways:
Design and Build
Our fencing and landscaping team have supported a number of local projects, assisting with green space transformations.
At Newbold Community Growing Together, the team have plans to do a deep excavation for the area, as well as digging a soak away pit ahead of the installation of their new composting toilet!
At Shaw Heath Recreation Ground in Stockport, our team have added in new pathways to make the area more accessible, as well as a series of planters which will be home to sensory plants.
Providing Advice & Guidance
Our team provide specialist guidance on many topics for greening community spaces, from planting and habitat creation to biodiversity enhancements, sustainable drainage and long-term site management.
Connecting People with Nature
Our Communities team have supported with engaging local people once the first round of successful projects were up and running.
From nature crafts to climate action talks, we’ve provided our services to projects at Westcroft Community Centre, Smithfield Residents’ Group and Deeplish Community Centre. Our team also responded to requests in the community to upskill volunteers in green skills and build confidence.
What people said about Groundwork’s support…
“I really want to say the whole support has been amazing, Lydia was great and now Abigail has been more than supportive. I want to thank the team and believe you have a great team culture which you should be proud of, not many funders can say the same!”
Rochdale charity Become United
“There was no money available to help with this so we looked at various funding streams and found the GMEF was an ideal match. We worked with Abigail Williams, the fund advisor for Rochdale, throughout the application process, and I have to say she is awesome.”
Falinge Park for the ‘Daisy Roots and Welly Boots’ project
Featured projects
Petrus Community Allotment, Rochdale
Petrus is a charity that helps people at risk of homelessness in Rochdale. Thanks to support from our team and funding from the Green Spaces Fund, they can now provide more opportunities to the people they work with to connect them with nature in their new and improved community allotment.
Their team of dedicated volunteers have made some fantastic improvements to their outdoor space which will attract a more diverse mix of wildlife and provide more opportunities for visitors.
Vitality Gardens, Tameside
The residents of Vitality Gardens in Hattersley were fed up with an unused space in their neighbourhood that had become nothing but a hotspot for flytipping. They had a vision of a community greenspace where people could come together and socialise and we were lucky enough to work with them to completely transform the space.
Our landscaping team and a group of fantastic and dedicated local volunteers cleared the overgrowth, built raised planters, a new pathway and a polytunnel for food growing. 11 year old Lottie had a great time taking part in Vitality Garden activities, you can read about her story here!
Burnside Centre, Middleton
The Burnside Centre is a charity which helps to connect people of all ages in the community and offer them a safe space to relax, socialise and take part in a range of indoor and outdoor activities.
To support their ambitions, our team supported centre manager Kerry to create a beautiful green space from an unused area of land on the side of their building. Designing the space in collaboration with students from the Manchester School or Architecture, the area is now home to recycled wooden modules, raised planters, bird boxes and more!
Shaw Heath Recreation Ground, Stockport
Our land team helped to create a new growing area at Shaw Heath Recreation Ground as part of the Seeding the Change project. The group have plans to run weekly gardening sessions with participants.
Our team added areas for wildlife and planters which have been filled with sensory plants, giving giving local young people the chance to build an interest in the natural world and connect with others.
Status 4 All, Rochdale
Following a successful application to the Green Spaces Fund, Status 4 All worked with local residents to shape plans for a new community green space near Bowlee Community Park. Feedback showed strong support for a nature-rich area that would benefit wildlife while remaining accessible to the community.
With support from our urban nature specialists, the group developed plans for a native hedgerow, wildflower meadow, and wildlife-friendly features including bird boxes, bug hotels and beetle banks. In April 2026, Groundwork delivered meadow management training, helping volunteers create a practical action plan for establishing and maintaining the habitat. The project has also brought together local green space groups to share skills and knowledge, while volunteers and tradespeople have supported the creation of new raised beds and the restoration of existing ones.
Thanks to support from:
