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Green fingered residents of Middlesbrough got together in a bid to spruce up their neighbourhood.

With help from TV gardener Simon Cross, residents of Falkland Street and Kildare Street in the town’s Gresham area braved the November weather to brighten up their street and get to know their neighbours. The hard working team of volunteers planted 124 tubs in two days.

Those involved hope the scheme, supported by Streets Ahead, the Going for Green project and Neighbourhood Management will add some colour to the neighbourhood and also build a strong sense of community.

Neighbours who share a space between bay windows were invited to sign up together for a heavily weighted planter to go between the windows. In another street, without bay windows, hanging baskets were provided for residents who got together to sign up for them. The aim was to increase the social capital of the area and reduce the isolation of some of the residents whilst improving the appearance of the area at the same time. By encouraging residents to talk to each other it is hoped this will also increase residents’ satisfaction of the area and make the area a better place to live, thereby reducing the fear of crime. Spending time gardening at the front of the house will increase the natural surveillance of the street – in itself a deterrent to casual criminals.

The project also addresses a need to encourage and support residents who wish to look after the area, and to encourage more residents to get together with their neighbours and take ownership of their streets. Finally the project offers the community the opportunity to put on a show of strength in a visible and sustainable way.

Gresham Community Council have been successful in bidding to the Groundwork Environmental Community Chest and have received £5,000 to extend the project into neighbouring streets.

 

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