An Incredible Grand Opening at St Crispins

In 2023, Groundwork Northamptonshire worked on a very exciting project in collaboration with SEGRO, as part of its Community Investment Plan in Northampton. We helped to build a wildlife and wellbeing garden space at the St Crispin Community Centre, managed by Community Spaces Northampton.

This multipurpose space has been designed to be accessible for all. At the centre of the design is a large circular lawn with perimeter pathway, and there are now archways, seating and planting to inspire all the senses. Alongside that, heritage fruit trees have also been planted, as well as an earthen bank for pollinator-friendly wildflower seed mix.

On 13^th December 2023, we officially opened this new space, with guests from across Northamptonshire helping to mark such a special occasion.

This project was only possible thanks to help from local businesses and local community centre users, including the Northants football club youth education centre students.

Here are what just some of the guests had to say:

“As a long-term investor in the area, SEGRO is delighted to work in partnership with Groundwork Northamptonshire to create this fantastic space at St. Crispins Community Centre.”
Colette Sharp – Partnership Development Manager, SEGRO

“Thank you so much to the team from Groundwork Northamptonshire for helping transform our green space into a beautiful garden, packed with plants and benches. We now even have our very own bowling lawn which is proving to be a huge hit with the local community. Before this space was hardly used, but now it is a community asset that we all love and which is appreciated by the whole community. Thank you to SEGRO and your phenomenal volunteers. We are eternally grateful.”
Mo Sonnie, Operations Director of Community Spaces Northampton

“As a Trustee of the charity, it is great to see this come off the ground and to see all the work that has gone into the project from the community members, and SEGRO – with the investing they’ve done in the local area. It’s great to see the collaboration with Groundworks Northamptonshire because this charity impacts so many lives in so many ways – with their sustainability agenda, the social prescribing and just helping people. This will be really helpful towards that and to let people enjoy it.”
Pinder Chauhan – Groundwork Trustee and West Northampton Councillor

“It has been a pleasure to once again have the opportunity to create a community green space with funding from SEGRO. The wellbeing element of the St Crispin garden is designed to provide a functionable multipurpose communal meeting space whilst remaining intimate and cosy. The wildlife walk will bring benefit to the wildlife, increasing biodiversity, and will be a riot of wildflower colour by next summer. We hope the centre users get as much joy using the garden, as we had building it.”
Nathan Wearn-Hutter, Green Projects Manager, Groundwork Northamptonshire